Lennart Karl struck inside the first hour at the Metropolitano on Tuesday and became just the fourth player in Champions League history to reach five goals before turning 19. Two days later, Klopp named him in a trimmed 24-man Germany squad for the November international window.

Speaking as he announced the squad on Thursday, Klopp was unambiguous about the Bayern Munich forward.

“The boy is a top talent,” Klopp said.

The coach pointed specifically to Karl’s display at Atlético, where a 54th-minute goal broke the deadlock in a 2-0 Bayern win. Klopp also noted that Karl had operated centrally in Madrid rather than off the right, calling it useful information for Germany.

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“He’s one of the players we’d very much like to work with.”

From U17 top scorer to Champions League regular

Karl was born on 22 February 2008 and joined Bayern’s academy in 2022 after starting out at Eintracht Frankfurt, according to the Bundesliga’s profile of him. He finished the 2024/25 U17 season with 27 goals and 11 assists in 18 matches, broke into the first team at the 2025 Club World Cup, and in October 2025 became Bayern’s youngest Champions League goalscorer when he struck against Club Brugge.

The Atlético goal, scored after he stole possession from Robin Le Normand and lifted the ball over Jan Oblak, carried him to five in the competition. By the Associated Press count, only Yamal (17 years, 291 days), Mbappé (18 years, 120 days) and Raúl (18 years, 162 days) got there younger. Karl reached the mark at 18 years and 254 days.

Premier League interest, no sale from Bayern

Karl’s breakthrough has made him one of Europe’s most tracked teenagers. Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United have all registered interest with Bayern about his availability, with his market valuation put in the region of €60m and his contract running through June 2029.

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Bayern have ruled out a sale, with the club publicly committed to keeping the 18-year-old at the Allianz Arena.

Adjusting to Klopp’s house rules

Life inside the Germany camp has required an adjustment. Speaking to web.de last month, Karl described Klopp’s rules around phones and shared meals.

“Phones at meals just aren’t part of it, the players should simply talk to each other,” Karl told the German outlet.

Karl added that phones are also banned from the dressing room on matchday, and said Klopp’s sessions are built around energy, tracking back and running at full tilt.

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Germany play Serbia in Belgrade on Friday 13 November, before hosting the Netherlands in Berlin on Monday 16 November, the two fixtures that close out Klopp’s second international window since he took over from Julian Nagelsmann in August.

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