Bayern Munich have once again been linked with a move for Marseille’s prolific French left-winger Florian Thauvin, but his pricetag could be off-putting.
The 2018-19 season is well underway, and Bayern Munich have enjoyed a fantastic start under new manager Niko Kovac. The Bavarians dropped their first points against Augsburg on Tuesday, winning each of their seven matches leading up to the 1-1 draw.
Despite their overwhelming success in terms of victories, it hasn’t all been smooth sailing for the Bavarian giants. Niko Kovac has already had to make some adjustments to his squad after a few big injuries to key players.
Perhaps Bayern’s biggest injury in terms of squad impact was the one suffered by Kingsley Coman. The Frenchman — arguably the club’s best winger — tore a ligament in his ankle and will be out for the remainder of the calendar year.
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Bayern are already relatively thin on the wings, and this injury does them no favors. Fortunately, the board has already made plans to solve this issue next summer. With Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery likely leaving at the end of their contract, Bayern will be prepared to spend big on wing reinforcements.
The club has already been linked with several players to fill that position, including a report that emerged a few days ago suggesting they are keeping tabs on Lille’s Nicolas Pepe. Another name from France that has emerged as a potential Bayern transfer target a few times in the past year is Marseille winger Florian Thauvin. According to a recent report from Ouest-France, the Bavarians have upped their interest in Thauvin and could be prepared to make a significant offer for the player.
Thauvin had an excellent season with Marseille last campaign, scoring 22 goals and assisting 12 more across 35 Ligue 1 appearances (contributing to nearly a goal per game). He’s carried that impressive form with him into the new season. He already has six goals and two assists in seven Ligue 1 appearances.
A left-footed player who fits naturally on the right wing, Thauvin would make a solid, like-for-like replacement for Arjen Robben. However, Marseille’s reporting asking price of €80 million could be a big deterrent for the Bavarians.
There’s not a plethora of top tier right-footed left-wingers available in Europe, so Thauvin is definitely a player for Bayern Munich to monitor. He’s undeniably talented, but perhaps the club could find a more suitable option that won’t quite break the bank like Thauvin.
Of course, if he has another sensational season with Marseille — which it looks like he may — Thauving might just be worth the hefty pricetag his club will slap on him.