Bayern Munich winger Arjen Robben is attracting interest from Japanese side FC Tokyo, who have confirmed their interest in the Dutchman.
Bayern Munich saw their first high profile player leave the club yesterday. Sandro Wagner parted ways with the German champions to join Chinese Super League side Tianjin Teda. Die Roten are going to be making several changes over the summer, and Wagner is just the first of a handful of players slated to leave the club. Arjen Robben is another player who has already confirmed that his Bayern career will be coming to an end soon.
Robben announced his imminetn departure from the club in December. Though he has confirmed this is his last season in Munich, he hasn’t said much about how he plans to spend the next few seasons — whether he will retire or continue to play elsewhere.
The 34-year-old has less than six months left on his contract, so he is free to begin negotiations with potential clubs. The explosive winger has recently been linked with a move to Japanese side FC Tokyo. An executive from the club recently confirmed their interest while speaking to the Japan Times.
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"“I can’t say that he’s on the table yet, but we’re gathering information.“There won’t be any clubs that aren’t interested.”"
Japan has become an attractive destination for numerous players in the past few years. David Villa, Lukas Podolski, Andres Iniesta and Fernando Torres are all currently playing in the J-league. Robben is still unplayable on his day, but he has been consistently struggling with injuries in the past few seasons. The Japanese league, which is far less demanding than many of Europe’s top leagues, would allow him to prolong his playing career.
FC Tokyo isn’t the only club on the Dutchman’s radar, however. Robben has also been linked with a few European clubs since announcing his decision to leave Bayern. Inter Milan are reportedly keen on signing the Dutchman, while PSV Eindhoven are also exploring a deal to bring Robben back to the club. His boyhood club FC Groningen are also in the race and are keen on bringing him back home.
Bayern received a massive boost this week when Robben and Franck Ribery returned to first team training. The veteran duo has been struggling with minor injuries since the winter camp in Doha, but they should be back on the pitch soon. Die Roten will be hoping that the veteran wingers remain fit for the rest of the season, because their experience could come in handy as the Bavarians progress into the later rounds of the Champions League.
Niko Kovac, meanwhile, has ruled out any last-ditch signings on deadline day. The winter transfer window has not been exactly successful for Bayern Munich, who were actively trying to sign both Lucas Hernandez and Callum Hudson-Odoi. They have already agreed a summer transfer for Benjamin Pavard, and they will likely push hard for their two winter targets again in a few months time.