Personal Kimmich illustrates Bayern's big dilemma
After the first titleless season in a long time, FC Bayern faces a major overhaul. But the restructuring of the German football champion's squad requires a lot of patience - as shown by the player Joshua Kimmich.
Joshua Kimmich is still enjoying his free days after an exhausting European Championship. But starting from Monday, the national player's routine life at FC Bayern will begin again - for the first time in his long tenure in Munich under completely new circumstances. Long considered the legitimate heir to captain Manuel Neuer, the 29-year-old is suddenly a sale candidate at the German record champion.
The case of Kimmich illustrates the dilemma that Sporting Director Hasan Sasic and Sport Executive Chairman Oliver Kahn find themselves in: The luxury squad urgently needs changes, but currently there are no buyers for potential departures. Players like Kimmich, who cost a lot in transfer fees and earn a lot of money, are in high demand on the market.
Apart from Kimmich, Leon Goretzka, Leroy Sane, Matthijs de Ligt, Kingsley Coman, Serge Gnabry, Alphonso Davies, and to some extent Noussair Mazraoui are reportedly being evaluated by Bayern to make room for the necessary overhaul. With Kimmich alone, the new coach Vincent Kompany has four right-backs at his disposal, and there is still an oversupply in his preferred position in midfield.
The problem with the "money waster"
Eberl and Freund are in a quandary, having already spent nearly 130 million Euro on Joao Palhinha, Michael Olise, and Hiroki Ito and now needing to generate income. New players could only come, Eberl already pointed out, "if one or another prominent departure occurs. We don't have a money waster at Bayern."
Potential suitors are aware that the Munich club is under pressure - which complicates matters further. At the same time, the pressure on Munich's desired candidates like Jonathan Tah (Bayer Leverkusen), Xavi Simons (Paris Saint-Germain), or Desire Doue (Stade Rennes) is growing. They expect a solution soon, but there is currently no movement.
Eberl remains calm, despite the huge challenge ahead. Sportingly, the Munich team wants to attack again both domestically and internationally, but costs must be significantly reduced. Currently, Bayern's annual wage bill is around 300 million Euro. This exceeds even the budgets of some financially strong English clubs.
Kompany shuts down all inquiries
Many construction sites are causing Kompany unease. "Shopping or selling, that's not my job. I'm here for the team. I want to sense energy," the 38-year-old said on Monday and categorically rejected all inquiries about potential transfer targets - including Kimmich: "It would be a huge mistake to talk about individual players."
However, Eberl announced a meeting with Kimmich after his vacation. Beforehand, the boss made it clear that even long-term performers like Kimmich would no longer receive special treatment. For Kimmich, whose contract expires in 2025, Bayern is "my first point of contact." However, his future in Munich "doesn't only depend on me," he said. "It will also be a question of what the club wants."
Following the club's financial constraints, potential suitors are aware of Bayern Munich's pressure to sell high-earning players like Joshua Kimmich. Despite his contract extension until 2025, Kimmich's future at FC Bayern Munich may not solely depend on him, as the club's financial situation requires significant wage reductions.
Although Transfers and Rumors surrounding Joshua Kimmich have been circulating, newly appointed coach Vincent Kompany has shut down all inquiries about potential transfer targets, including Kimmich, to maintain focus on the team and his preferred energy-filled environment.
