The transfer speculation will go into overdrive from next week as domestic campaigns come to an end. Bayern Munich will have a lot of work to do, as they are likely to end the season with zero major trophies. They have won DFL Supercup, but that is not enough for a good season at Bayern.
The Bavarian club has reportedly identified two positions to address in the summer. They will look to strengthen the attack with a number nine, while Thomas Tuchel reportedly wants to sign a holding midfielder to strengthen his options in the center of the park. The German coach’s top target for this position is playing in the Premier League.
According to Sky Sports in Germany, West Ham United’s Declan Rice is the preferred target for Tuchel to fill the number six position. The Bavarian club has held talks with the player’s agent, but a transfer is looking difficult due to the transfer fee involved in this deal. Moreover, Arsenal has made Rice their top transfer target for the summer.
West Ham United will try their best to get a fee closer to £100 million for Rice, which effectively rules out Bayern from the race. The only way Bayern can make this transfer possible is if they manage to convince Rice to make a move to Munich and reject advances from other Premier League clubs.
News #Rice: He‘s one of the desired players of #Tuchel confirmed. Bayern bosses are als convinced that he’s the perfect defensive midfielder for Bayern.
— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) May 22, 2023
➡️ There were talks with the players management
➡️ Tuchel is 100 % involved.
But: Bayern is aware of the fact that… pic.twitter.com/Ld6kDXN3L2
Chelsea, under Tuchel, had identified Declan Rice as a transfer target, but the English midfielder’s contract length at West Ham stopped a transfer. He currently has one year left on his deal, with West Ham having the option to extend it further by 12 months.
The upcoming summer transfer window is the best time for West Ham to get a huge fee. The involvement of several big English clubs makes things difficult for Die Roten. The record Bundesliga clubs cannot afford to pay a big fee for a striker and midfielder at the same time unless there is a big departure from the squad.
Rice has been one of the best defensive midfielders in the Premier League over the past few seasons. He has also excelled in this role for England. It is not a surprise that Tuchel wants him at Bayern since he will seamlessly slot into the team and make a big impact.
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Unfortunately, Bayern cannot outbid big Premier League clubs for a top English midfielder. They will have to focus on other options in the transfer market. The Bavarian club was linked with Ajax midfielder Edson Alvarez, but they have decided against making a bid for him. Die Roten’s priority target for this position will be clear by the end of this season after the annual general meeting.