Bayern Munich: Mats Hummels isn’t fazed by competition for starting spot

Veteran Bayern Munich center-back Mats Hummels is not concerned about losing his starting spot to one of the club’s new signings next season.

There will be some serious changes made to the Bayern Munich squad this summer. The Bavarians are in the process of creating a more youthful core, meaning a handful of their veteran players could be forced to make way in the next transfer market.

Mats Hummels is one of the handful of senior players at Bayern could potentially be sold this summer. The German defender will have more competition for his position, as Bayern have already secured the signings of both Benjamin Pavard and Lucas Hernandez.

Speaking to Sport Bild, Hummels insisted that he is not worried about the sporting competition at the club, adding that the new signings might take time to adapt at Bayern Munich.

"“I talk to the club from time to time. Internally I prefer a very open, direct interaction. I think that I do not have to be afraid of many competitors in my position. And I’ve never shied away from the sporting competition. I let things come to me. Just as it was when I was sitting on the bench.“Unfortunately, I had the problem in Dortmund, that we had to replace several top performers each season. It is not always easy, depending on the new players and the climate in the team. My experience with FC Bayern, however, is that the players have always been very warmly received and thus quickly felt comfortable.”"

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Hummels returned to Bayern Munich from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2016. The German has been a mainstay in the starting lineup ever since. He was the first-choice in central defense under both Carlo Ancelotti and Jupp Heynckes. Niko Kovac initially rotated his central defensive pairing, so Hummels was in and out of the lineup, but the Croatian eventually settled on pairing Hummels with Niklas Sule for his primary center-back partnership.

Bayern Munich have struggled defensively this season. Mats Hummels’ poor form, especially in the first half of the season, has been one of the main reasons behind the club’s defensive woes. Hummels has been targeted by teams due to his lack of pace. His passing still remains top class, but his defensive abilities are on a steady decline. He remains an important figure in the dressing room, though, despite his struggles this season.

Hummels has been axed from the Germany national team with Joachim Low deciding to instead give opportunities to younger players. This could be a blessing in disguise for Hummels, though, who can now solely focus on his club career.

Bayern Munich were reportedly ready to listen to offers for Jerome Boateng last summer. The Bavarians will likely try to offload Boateng this summer and keep Hummels as a backup center-back. It will be interesting, though, to see if Hummels is interested in playing a backup role or would instead prefer a move to another club.