Bayern Munich may have to accelerate search for right-back
Bayern Munich has suffered a serious blow ahead of the first Bundesliga game against Borussia Monchengladbach. Benjamin Pavard reportedly suffered an ankle ligament injury this week during training, which has ruled him out for the first game.
Julian Nagelsmann admitted during his pre-match conference on Thursday that Pavard will not be available for few weeks. The German manager did name drop Niklas Sule, Bouna Sarr, and Josep Stanisic as options to replace Pavard in the lineup.
Sule has been used in this position in the past, but he more or less operates as a third center-back and offers very little threat in the final third. Meanwhile, Sarr has endured difficult time in Bavaria since joining from Marseille last summer.
Stanisic had a productive pre-season, but it remains to be seen whether he plays on right or left. It was reported in Germany last week that Nagelsmann was considering Stanisic in the left-back position. Alphonso Davies is not ready to start, while Omar Richards needs to improve to get himself in the starting lineup.
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Pavard’s injury could force the club’s hand to look for another right-back position. However, they need to make space for a new defender by finding a club for Sarr. The depressed market has made it difficult for Die Roten to raise money for further arrivals. However, an injury could accelerate the process for a new right-back.
The German Champions had reportedly enquired about Barcelona’s Sergino Dest this summer, but the young full-back is set to stay in Spain. Max Aarons from Norwich City has been previously reported as a target for Die Roten, but he will be an expensive option for the German club.
Earlier this summer, transfer expert Gianluca Di Marzio reported that Juventus full-back Danilo is also an option. However, the Brazilian will also command a significant transfer fee. Nevertheless, the next couple of weeks could get interesting for Rekordmeister in this position.
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Bayern may have to come up with creative options to get above named options. Loan deals with the option to buy could be one avenue to explore or including Sarr in a possible swap deal. Nevertheless, Hasan Salihamidzic could be in for a busy end to the transfer window like last summer as Pavard’s injury shifts focus on the right-back position. For the time being, Nagelsmann will have to look at internal solutions to fill the void of Pavard in the team.