Bayern Munich have largely looked to add a new left winger and a versatile number ten to the squad this summer. The serious injury to Jamal Musiala during the Club World Cup, coupled with the departures of Thomas Muller and Leroy Sane, has forced Bayern to address these positions.
On the right flank, Bayern are much more settled in terms of options. Michael Olise enjoyed a terrific debut campaign, scoring 23 goals and assisting 20 goals. The French international has been one of the best wide players in Europe over the last 12 months. Along with scoring consistently, Olise also creates chances for his teammates at a healthy rate.
Olise is currently one of the first names on the team sheet for Vincent Kompany. He will become an even crucial player for Die Roten next season since Jamal Musiala is certainly going to miss the first half of the season.
Bayern don’t need another new winger on the right flank. According to Bild (via iMiaSanMia), they have looked at an internal option to provide cover for Olise. Lennart Karl will be part of the first team next season. He will play on the right flank and fill in whenever Olise needs a breather. Bayern want to give the youngster ample amount of gametime next season and convince him to sign a contract extension. His current deal ends in 2026.
Lennart Karl was also part of the squad during the Club World Cup. He came off the bench in the first league game against Auckland City FC. Bayern chiefs rate the 17-year-old highly, which explains their decision to promote him to the first team squad. He will be part of the squad that will be flying out for the pre-season tour.
Lennart Karl will get good exposure to top-level football next season
With the football calendar getting more rigid, Kompany will have to rotate smartly next season and give his players ample time to recover. This will provide the likes of Lennart Karl with valuable game time on the pitch.
Bayern should ideally give Karl opportunities in the early rounds of DFB Pokal and in game states when the team is cruising to victories. This will help in building the rhythm of the youngster for senior football. With significant game time under his belt, he will soon have the confidence and conditions to start games for the Bavarian club.
The Bundesliga champions have been subject to criticism for the lack of integration of young players into the first team from the academy. The promotion of Lennart Karl is a step in the right direction to quieten the critics.