Reports from Sky Sport claim that Bayern Munich are hoping to part ways with four players before the transfer window closes.
Matthijs de Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui, Bryan Zaragoza (loan) and Kingsley Coman (loan or sale), are the four Bayern Munich players mentioned by Florian Plettenburg of Sky Sport in Germany. He says that all the other candidates for sale are expected to stay with the Bavarians beyond this summer.
Let’s take a look to see if there is any way back into the starting XI for those players.
Leon Goretzka is one player that could get game-time next season despite being told he can leave. The midfielder has already said he knows from experience that he can get back into the side after coming out of it.
After an impressive second half to last season, and the impending sale of Noussair Mazraoui, there is a good chance that Joshua Kimmich continues at right-back this season, thus increasing Goretzka’s chances of a starting midfield berth.
However, reports have emerged saying Vincent Kompany is conscious of Kimmich’s capabilities as a midfielder and could partner him with João Palhinha in the “important games.”
Palhinha has not come to Bayern to sit on the bench, so if Kimmich is starting in midfield, there is next to no chance of any other player starting in the middle of the park.
Serge Gnabry came into the side towards the back end of last season, and was trusted to start in big games in the Champions League. Of course, Thomas Tuchel is no longer the head coach - but Gnabry did show against Arsenal that he can produce on the biggest stage.
Like Palhinha, Michael Olise has not joined Bayern to warm the bench. You can bet on Jamal Musiala being a guaranteed starter too, leaving just one free spot behind Harry Kane.
However, Leroy Sané has been out of sorts for a long time. This, coupled with Coman’s possible departure means the left hand side could be a spot that Gnabry can get starts in should he impress Kompany enough.
Alphonso Davies will be at Bayern for the final year of his contract as it stands. Despite him having only one year left on his deal, he was not one of the four aforementioned players that Bayern are fixated on finalizing the departures of. Assuming the 23-year old Canadian international stays, he is set to play an important part.
Hiroko Ito, who could play left-back is out for a while, Mazraoui, who covered, at left-back is set to leave the club. This leaves Raphael Guerreiro as the only other player capable of playing there until Ito is back from injury.
Kimmich could be included in this, as, like Davies, he is entering the final 12 months of his contract. Unlike Davies, however, Kimmich is a guaranteed starter as long as he is at the club, so nothing to speculate there.