Bayern Munich passed up the opportunity to sign Italian star in summer

Bayern Munich wanted to strengthen the attack in the summer with two signings. They clinched the signing of Michael Olise from Crystal Palace at the start of the summer, but the second signing never arrived. Bayern tried to sign Xavi Simons and Désiré Doué but couldn’t complete deals for the duo for different reasons.

Courtesy of Die Roten’s keenness to sign two attacking players, they were offered various players by intermediaries during the summer. According to Bild (via iMiaSanMia), Bayern passed up the opportunity to sign Federico Chiesa from Juventus before the Italian forward sealed a move to Liverpool. The Italian forward has been linked with a move to Bavaria on several occasions in the last few years, but this summer it could have become a reality.

Chiesa was not part of the Juventus project under Thiago Motta. Since the Italian forward had one year left on his contract, the Turin-based club was looking for a fee worth €15 million. Liverpool took up this market opportunity and completed the deal in the final days of the transfer window.

The 26-year-old Italian international can play across the front three, but his injury concerns over the last few seasons made him a risky signing. He had scored ten goals for Juventus last season in 37 appearances across all competitions.

Bayern will look to strengthen the attack next summer

Bayern wanted to add young wingers/attacking midfielders to the squad. Olise will turn 23 later this year, while Simons and Doué are 21 and 19, respectively. Chiesa didn’t fit this criteria, which explains Die Roten’s decision to pass up the opportunity to sign him.

Die Roten didn’t want to panic in the transfer market after missing out on their two top targets in the attack. The Bavarian club focussed on trimming their attacking options in the last 15 days of the transfer window. Kingsley Coman was the prime candidate for departure, but the French winger rejected all offers to stay in Bavaria for one more season.

Bayern will focus on getting one more attacking player next summer. Simons will be on the market once his loan spell at RB Leipzig comes to an end. However, Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz will be prime transfer target of Bayern next summer. Die Roten will look to part ways with Coman and Serge Gnabry next summer to make way for Wirtz or Simons.

Despite missing out on Simons and Doué, Vincent Kompany has a good mix of profiles in the attacking department this season. The Belgian coach will receive a further boost in options after the international break as Leroy Sane is closing on a return from a groin injury.