Bayern Munich welcomed back all senior center-backs in first-team training on Friday. Eric Dier resumed training after leaving the camp in Portugal for the birth of his child. Dayot Upamecano and Matthijs de Ligt have recovered from minor injuries to be fit for the game against Werder Bremen.
De Ligt was doubtful for the clash against Werder Bremen. The Dutch defender had suffered a capsule injury in the knee, but Thomas Tuchel was confident that he would resume training on Friday. Apart from his injury, Matthijs de Ligt has also dominated headlines this week regarding his future.
The Dutch international is currently facing uncertainty over his long-term future in Bavaria. The latest update from Sky Sports in Germany reveals that De Ligt is open to leaving Bayern in the summer. Die Roten also consider De Ligt as a candidate for sale at the end of the season.
After a very positive debut season, things have gone downhill for Matthijs de Ligt at Bayern this season. The Dutch defender didn’t start the season as first-choice center-back pairing under Thomas Tuchel. When he eventually got the chance to start in the league, De Ligt suffered injury setbacks.
As things stand, De Ligt is third choice center-back option for Tuchel behind Dayot Upamecano and Kim Min-jae. The Dutch defender may face further competition next season as Bayern want to sign Ronald Araujo in the summer. They are also closely monitoring the situation of Kevin Danso at Lens.
De Ligt arrived at Bayern from Juventus for €67 million in 2022. The Bavarian club will look to get a similar fee for him in the summer if he pushes for a transfer. Since De Ligt is still 24, Bayern have a solid case for asking a big fee for him. Manchester United have been linked with De Ligt, but more big clubs will be in for him if he decides to leave Munich.
For now, De Ligt has a chance to impress Tuchel and push for an extended run in the starting lineup. Since Kim Min-jae is with the South Korean squad at the Asian Cup, De Ligt can win a place back in the starting XI by delivering quality performances over the next few weeks. He needs to avoid injury and show his best on the pitch. Despite speculation over his future, if he manages to get a good amount of playing time during Ruckrunde, he may end up staying in Munich.