Joshua Kimmich has heaped big praise on the mindset of Eric Dier, who has been reduced to a bit-part role at Bayern Munich this season.
Eric Dier has found playing time hard to come by at Bayern Munich this season, with Dayot Upamecano and Kim Min-jae both ahead of him in the pecking order. The Englishman has only been on the pitch for a total of 141 minutes and it has even been reported that he will leave Bayern at the end of the season.
"One of the best teammates I've ever had" - Joshua Kimmich on Eric Dier
Despite his lack of playing time, Dier continues to set the example at Bayern Munich, as Joshua Kimmich has revealed. The midfielder has even hailed the former Tottenham Hotspur as one of the best teammates he’s ever had.
"When I see how Eric Dier trains every day - he's one of the best teammates I've ever had," Kimmich said after Bayern Munich's 3-0 win over Augsburg on Friday (via tz). "A mindset like that also helps us as a squad. Even if he hasn't played many minutes, he's incredibly important for us as a team. If you call him at 6 pm and tell him to come to training, he's there and gives 100 percent. It's extremely valuable for us that nobody slacks off and falls behind, but that the competition is kept high."
Dier joined Bayern Munich from Tottenham Hotspur in January and established himself as an important part of the team under Thomas Tuchel amid an injury crisis in defense.
But his lack of pace has seen him drop down the pecking order under Vincent Kompany. His current contract with Bayern Munich is set to expire at the end of the season. And it will be interesting to see what the future holds for the 30 year old, who continues to be a consummate professional despite not playing as much of late.