Bayern Munich need better approach in signing midfielders

9The future of two young midfielders at Bayern Munich is likely to be resolved when the winter transfer window opens. Marc Roca and Mickael Cuisance are likely to look for a transfer away from Bavaria to get regular playing time. The duo has found it difficult to get into matchday squads, let alone in the starting XI this season.

The expected departures of Cuisance and Roca further highlight the club’s poor luck and work in terms of strengthening the midfield department over the past few seasons. The club has found it difficult to have multiple quality options in this position.

It all started with Renato Sanches from Benfica. The Portuguese midfielder arrived in Bavaria during the summer window of 2016 with so much hype. However, the mismanagement of his playing time and eventually a poor loan spell at Swansea made sure that Sanches didn’t succeed at Bayern. He has kickstarted his stalled career at Lille by playing a big role in their Ligue 1 win last season.

Sebastian Rudy also had a brief stint at Die Roten after sealing a move from Hoffenheim in 2017. The German midfielder also struggled for consistent playing time in the center of the park, which eventually saw him leave the club in 2018 for Schalke.

Rekordmeister brought in Cuisance to replace Sanches in 2019. The Frenchman didn’t get enough opportunities in midfield during his debut season. Moreover, there were reports about the club upset with his poor attitude. He went on loan to Marseille to make way for Roca last summer. Both of them are now expected to leave in January, underlining the club’s poor record in signing midfielders.

Marcel Sabitzer was the midfield signing of summer 2021. The Austrian midfielder is yet to show his best in Bavarian shirt since he is not getting an extended run in the first team. It is too soon judging his transfer, but initial signs are not promising for him. The run of games after the current international break, and the second half of the season, will be crucial for Sabitzer.

Workload management of Kimmich and Goretzka is crucial

Thiago Alcantara, Joshua Kimmich, and Leon Goretzka were heavily relied on during the treble-winning campaign under Hansi Flick. The Spaniard left Die Roten to join Liverpool in 2020, which made the team rely heavily on Kimmich and Goretzka in the center of the park. The other midfielders have found it difficult to get game time to impress since Flick, and now, Nagelsmann selects them for every game.

Kimmich and Goretzka are top-quality midfielders, but their workload needs to be managed to make sure that they can deliver top-quality performances at the back end of the season. Goretzka has also endured a fair share of injuries in the past few seasons, which further highlights the urgent need for the club to improve their record in midfield acquisitions.

The next summer window will be crucial for Die Roten in terms of strengthening midfield. Roca and Cuisance will leave in January, while Corentin Tolisso is expected to leave on a free transfer in summer. The Bavarian club needs to get one quality midfield addition to compete on all fronts.