The DFB Pokal win against VfB Stuttgart on Saturday brought down the curtains on the careers of Leon Goretzka and Raphael Guerreiro at Bayern Munich. Both players are leaving the club on a free transfer in the summer.
Goretzka is a high-profile departure as he has played a crucial role in Bayern’s success over the last eight years. Die Roten decided against offering him a new contract. Goretzka will not be short of options in the summer as he is still in the peak of his career and his profile can certainly strengthen the midfield departments of top clubs in Europe.
Guerreiro also had a brief but successful stint in Munich. The Portuguese defender has struggled with injuries over the last three seasons, but his performances have been decent whenever he has been in the starting XI. He is expected to return to Portugal after leaving Bayern.
Apart from these two players, there are imminent departures at Bayern. The Bavarian club is keen on strengthening the squad this summer, but they have to balance the books by raising funds from departures.
There are no outstanding candidates for departures in the current squad. The most likely exits from the current squad are Kim Min-jae and Hiroki Ito. Min-jae is content with his role as the third-choice center-back in the squad, so he is not eagerly looking for an exit. For Hiroki Ito, a move away from Bayern could be a blessing in disguise to kickstart his career after an injury-ridden spell in Munich.
Bayern set price for Ito's departure
According to SportBild (via iMiaSanMia), Bayern are ready to listen to offers worth €20 million for Hiroki Ito. The Japanese defender had joined Bayern from VfB Stuttgart two years ago for €30 million.
Bayern will have to make a loss on Ito as he has struggled to play regularly due to injuries. The Japanese defender has made only 31 appearances for Die Roten over the last two seasons. His stock is at its lowest due to injury problems. Bayern will do well to get a fee close to €20 million for him in the summer.
Ito’s departure may force Bayern to look for a versatile defender in the transfer market. Manchester City defender Josko Gvardiol is reportedly keen on joining Bayern. The Croatian defender can be a good replacement for Ito, but Manchester City will ask for a significant fee to part ways with the 24-year-old defender.
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