Examining how Corentin Tolisso will fit in at Bayern Munich

Bayern Munich’s new signing, Corentin Tolisso, is an explosive talent, but how does he fit in to this Bayern Munich side?

In a move that few saw coming, Bayern Munich broke their transfer fee record to secure the signing of Corentin Tolisso from Lyon.  At just 22 years old, Tolisso is yet another exciting young player that Bayern Munich now have in their ranks. After spending four seasons with Lyon, Tolisso was ready to take the next step in his career, and Bayern is the perfect club for him to do just that.

The Bavarians have many of soccer’s most promising talents (Joshua Kimmich, Niklas Süle, Kingsley Coman, Serge Gnabry, and Renato Sanches) and Tolisso simply adds to that impressive list.

However, despite his youth, Tolisso is much more experienced than most players his age. Over the past two seasons, he has been central to Lyon’s first-team. Only Lyon’s goalkeeper–Anthony Lopes–played more minutes for the club this past season (WhoScored).

Tolisso has been developing into a player of real quality for the past several years. Now he is ready to prove himself at one of the best clubs in all of soccer, Bayern Munich.

Squeezing in to a “crowded” midfield

Just a few weeks ago, hardly anyone would have anticipated Bayern signing Corentin Tolisso. On paper, Die Roten‘s midfield appears to be one of their strongest areas. Arturo Vidal is one of Europe’s most feared box-to-box midfielders and Thiago Alcantara can expertly unlock any defense with his graceful dribbling, impeccable vision, and exquisite passing.

Joshua Kimmich and Renato Sanches are two of Europe’s hottest young prospects. New-addition Sebastian Rudy is coming off the season of his career and is ready to prove he has what it takes to be a regular in the Bayern starting XI. On top of this, manager Carlo Ancelotti has the option of bringing Javi Martinez back into midfield after spending several seasons in central defense.

It might seem that Bayern’s midfield does not need reinforcements, but that’s not entirely the case. In fact, only one of those players is guaranteed a place in Ancelotti’s preferred XI for the foreseeable future: Thiago Alcantara. Yes, I understand nobody is guaranteed a place in the line-up, but let’s be real, Thiago’s not going anywhere as long as he’s fit.

Arturo Vidal is a close second, but the Chilean is not without flaws. His playstyle (though we love it) is not conducive to a long-career and he now finds himself on the wrong side of 30. Furthermore, his recklessness was a big detriment to Bayern in the latter half of last season. Unless he learns to discipline himself, he could end up being more of a liability than a help.

The Frenchman’s competition

Joshua Kimmich would easily be Tolisso’s biggest direct competition for playing time were it not for the German’s versatility. With Philipp Lahm retiring, Bayern are left with a hole in their defense, one that young Kimmich can fill wonderfully. And it seems Kimmich is set to do just that next season, leaving more space for Tolisso in the midfield.

Renato Sanches—despite winning the 2016 Golden Boy award—has come nowhere near reaching the dizzying heights of two seasons ago with Benfica. The Portuguese youngster has often looked out of place when playing for Bayern, but has even found those opportunities to be a rarity. He’s now being linked with a move out of Munich, which would free up even more space for Tolisso.

Sebastian Rudy could actually prove to be Tolisso’s main source of competition for the next season. As already mentioned, the former Hoffenheim captain just endured a fantastic season in the Bundesliga (he was WhoScored’s ninth highest rated Bundesliga player) and is ready to do the same at Bayern. While many doubt Rudy’s quality, the German international certainly has the potential to exceed all expectations.

Comparing the two midfielders is a bit like comparing to apples to oranges though. While Rudy plays deeper in the midfield in a holding role (see Xabi Alonso), Tolisso is much more versatile. He capable of filling in anywhere, making the likelihood of him featuring in the squad all the more likely.

Finally, while Javi Martinez is a capable midfielder, he will likely once again spend most of his season in defense.

Despite the addition of Niklas Süle, Bayern have lost Holger Badstuber and Medhi Benatia permanently. This leaves the club with only Javi, Boateng, Hummels, and Süle in central defense. And if anything can be learned from the past few seasons, it’s that injuries are inevitable and Bayern have to be prepared to replace any given player at any point in the season. Plus, Javi has become quite the center-back and seems only a few steps away from proving himself as one of Europe’s best.

What Tolisso has to offer

Although comparisons can be made between Corentin Tolisso and other players, its best to simply examine the player on his own rather than labeling him “like” another player.

As previously mentioned, the French youngster is capable of playing anywhere in the midfield. Whether deployed in an attacking, box-to-box, or holding (defensive) midfield role, Tolisso brings much to the table.

Perhaps his least effective position is attacking midfield. His passing is good, but his passing style is not particularly suited for the number 10 role. Furthermore, while his shooting is rather exceptional for a midfielder, this too is better suited in a deeper midfield role. Many of his goals come from either long-range strikes or rather easy finishes after late runs into the box.

This is okay though, because its unlikely Tolisso will ever feature as a pure playmaker. When Ancelotti does opt to use a number 10, surely it will be either Thomas Muller or Thiago Alcantara who gets the nod in the position.

Tolisso’s talents are far better suited deeper on the pitch. His excellent passing and hold-up play make him a great midfield anchor. However, to get the absolute best out of the talented Frenchman, Ancelotti must give him the freedom to roam in a box-to-box role.

The midfielder’s fitness and energy are up there with the best in Europe. He can easily play a full 90 minutes going all out, both up and down the pitch.

This allows him to work the ball up the field as he likes, burst into the opposition’s box for a quick shot, and track back to use his physique and positioning to win the ball back and do it again.

Corentin Tolisso truly has the makings of a “perfect” modern midfielder. It’s no wonder why he was labeled as “Carlo Ancelotti’s wish” by Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.

Next: Joshua Kimmich wants to create a legacy of his own at Bayern Munich

Unfortunately for Bayern Munich fans, we will have to wait until the club kicks off its Summer tour to see Tolisso in action. Until then, feel free to enjoy the endless highlight reels on YouTube for the new signing. And be sure to stay tuned to us here at Bayern Strikes for all your Bayern Munich news, analysis, opinions, and more.