Bayern Munich Confirm 'Very Good' Sandro Wagner Talks Amid Transfer Rumours

Bayern Munich look to have taken a significant step toward completing the January signing of Hoffenheim striker Sandro Wagner after confirming "very good talks" have taken place ahead of the winter transfer window.

Sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic spoke to the media and said an agreement over the transfer fee is the main obstacle, per ESPN FC's Stephan Uersfeld: "We held very good talks. Of course, it will also be about the transfer fee. We are relaxed, have no pressure, but have time."

Uersfeld also provided quotes from Hoffenheim sporting director Alexander Rosen, who confirmed talks had taken place about the club's forward: "Bayern have lodged their interest, and the player also wants a move. He played a very important role for us in the past 18 months, and also thanks to him we qualified for Europe."

Die Roten are not thought to be seeking another headline frontman but are instead responding to requests from talisman Robert Lewandowski, who recently reiterated his desire to see back-up arrive in January, per Goal:

Wagner isn't the young, promising prospect Lewandowski referred to and is set to turn 30 at the end of November, but experienced cover may be more useful for Bayern in the short term.

That being said, the Daily Mirror's Alex Richards pondered whether a move back to former club Bayern was the most logical step for Wagner when analysing his chances of featuring in next year's World Cup:

It's said Wagner will be allowed to leave the Wirsol Rhein-Neckar-Arena for a fee exceeding (£8.9 million), per Uersfeld's report, an affordable sum for Bayern to spend on a striker who has six goals in 16 appearances this season.

DW Sports posted an image of Munich native Wagner during his days as a Bayern player, having joined their academy as a child in 1995 and eventually graduating to the first team in 2007:

He played a single season in the first team and managed eight senior appearances before leaving the club for Duisburg in 2008. Since then, he's played across Germany's top three tiers and has almost worked his way back to the place where his professional career began.

While a deal may feel all but complete, Hoffenheim manager Julian Nagelsmann recently warned the transfer fee will decide whether Wagner moves. He told Sky Germany (h/t Goal's Seth Vertelney): "We are open for negotiations, but it will depend on the transfer fee. We do not have to improve our negotiating position, we're not under pressure and do not have to sell."

Bayern have a track record of signing older deputy strikers as cover for their main attackers and have in the past bought the likes of Miroslav Klose, Claudio Pizarro, Ivica Olic and Luca Toni approaching the age of 30.

The starting opportunities for some of those players weren't too promising, but the prospect of winning domestic and foreign titles with the Bundesliga giants is a chance Wagner doesn't seem likely to pass up.