Bayern Munich decided to sign a left back in the summer as soon as it was clear that Raphael Guerreiro was leaving on a free transfer. Alphonso Davies had struggled with injuries last season, which forced Vincent Kompany to deploy Josip Stanisic in the left-back position.
The record Bundesliga champions identified Eintracht Frankfurt's Nathaniel Brown as their top target for this position. The German left-back had delivered promising performances for Frankfurt in the Bundesliga. His good season was rewarded with a place in Germany’s World Cup squad.
Bayern moved swiftly to sign Brown after reports of interest from Arsenal. The Bavarian club paid a package of €55 million for Brown. His move was finalised at the start of July, allowing him to get the complete pre-season with Bayern.
Despite reported interest from Arsenal, Brown was not swayed by a move to North London once it was clear that Bayern Munich wanted to sign him. While speaking to Bayern’s official magazine, Säbener51, Brown insisted that joining Bayern was a no-brainer for him, as it offered the opportunity to play for the biggest club in Germany and he had roots in Bavaria.
"When my agent told me about their interest, I said straight away: I don’t want to hear about anything else. I’m from Bavaria, I can stay in Germany and join the best team in the country – one of the biggest clubs in the world. And my family and friends are all big Bayern fans too. So there was no question about it. It was immediately clear to me that I wanted to join Bayern."Nathaniel Brown
Nathaniel Brown has had a steady start to life at Bayern
The Bavarian club signed Brown to compete with Davies in the left-back position. The German defender also provides versatility as he can play in midfield and attack. Kompany handed Brown his first competitive start for Bayern in the number ten position against Borussia Dortmund in the Franz Beckenbauer Cup.
Nathaniel Brown scored against Dortmund to help Die Roten win the cup. With Davies getting back to his best, the former Frankfurt defender had to be patient for his opportunities. Kompany has used him from the bench in the left-back and attacking midfield positions. The German has delivered satisfactory performances in both roles.
The 23-year-old is ready to play anywhere Kompany wants him to play for Bayern. As the season progresses, Brown’s versatility will be a great asset for Bayern. The Bavarian club doesn’t have to worry about the left-back position for a long time since Davies and Brown are yet to enter the peak of their careers.
Brown is establishing himself as the first-choice left-back for Germany. He started in the games against the Netherlands and Greece during the ongoing international break. Brown has been rested for Germany’s remaining two games. He will report to Sabner Strasse in the coming days.
Add us as a preferred source on Google