'I definitely want to go' - Bayern Munich wonderkid Lennart Karl admits Real Madrid are his 'dream club' in bombshell statement

The Blancos may not be as dominant as they once were, with struggles for consistency being endured under Xabi Alonso this season, but they remain of obvious appeal to the most ambitious of players.

Under president Florentino Perez, the Liga giants have often favoured a ‘Galacticos’ approach to recruitment. That has, down the years, allowed them to acquire the likes of Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo, Kaka, David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo and Kylian Mbappe.

It may be that Karl goes on to build a global standing that drops him into a similar talent pool. He is already making positive progress down that path, with the talented teenager rewriting the history books in his native Germany.

He has graced, and scored in, Bundesliga and Champions League fixtures, with Bayern determining that age should be no barrier when it comes to such potential. They will, however, have a fight on their hands to keep Karl around.

The youngster has admitted as much. He has no desire to leave his comfort zone any time soon, but told supporters when visiting a fan club in Burgsinn and being asked about the teams other than Bayern that capture his imagination: “FC Bayern is a very big club. It's a dream to play there. But at some point, I definitely want to go to Real Madrid. That's my dream club, but that stays between us. Of course, Bayern is something very special and it's a lot of fun.”

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Karl has registered six goals through 22 appearances this season. The diminutive playmaker is proving to be a useful foil to prolific England international striker Harry Kane. Bayern’s leading marksman is delighted to have youthful exuberance alongside him.

Kane has said of Karl: “I think Lenny’s been great for us. I think you see the qualities that he has, especially in tight areas. That’s been a big help for us since he’s been in the team because we play a lot against a low block or against a 5-4-1 system where teams drop off and make it difficult for us to get through.

“Lenny helps to open that space up because he’s so quick and so good on the ball and he can beat a defender. He’s similar to Jamal in that way, which has opened up games for us and has given him a chance to score and has given other people chances to score.

“Without the ball, he has a great work ethic. The way we train here and the way the boss [Vincent Kompany] is, I don’t think he would let him get away with anything else. That’s great for him to be able to learn and to try to help the team, so it’s great to have him.”

Karl, who will be looking to earn senior international recognition at some point in the not too distant future, has also earned praise from a World Cup-winning countryman. Bayern legend Thomas Muller is another that forms part of the teenager’s fan club.

Muller, who is now in MLS with the Vancouver Whitecaps, has said of Karl and why he can be likened to a forward that once represented Bayern and Arsenal: ”His shooting technique is certainly exceptional. He has very good finishing, and that’s already an excellent asset to have. Because if you play in attack for FC Bayern and you’re energetic and agile, you’ll constantly find yourself in scoring positions.

“Therefore, his goals aren’t a fluke; he absolutely has the quality. The question that will determine his future is more about how often he gets into such situations, whether he can create them himself, whether he needs the team to do it for him, and so on.

“Let’s take our old friend Lukas Podolski as an example: when he had the ball in a good position on his left foot, it went ‘boom’. But compared to the world’s best footballers, he simply didn’t get into those shooting positions often enough.”

Karl will concede that he - like fellow wonderkid Lamine Yamal of Barcelona - still has much to learn. Bayern are ready to pass on those lessons, while hoping that a home-grown superstar can be kept away from the exit doors for as long as possible.