At one point, it seemed inconceivable that Bayern Munich was not going to land in good hands after one generation left (Thomas Müller, Manuel Neuer, David Alaba, Robert Lewandowski, Jerome Boateng) and another took over (Joshua Kimmich, Leon Goretzka, Serge Gnabry, Niklas Süle, Kingsley Coman, Alexander Nübel, Matthijs de Ligt, Alphonso Davies, Jamal Musiala).
As fans have learned, however, not everything goes to plan.
Süle was the first to leave and Nubel has spent almost every productive minute of his Bayern Munich tenure on loan, but Kimmich, Goretzka, Gnabry, and Coman represented a four-person backbone for the younger core players like Davies and Musiala to compliment.
Football, though, sometimes has a funny way of veering off course and now every single member of that vaunted next generation is in at least some jeopardy. Kimmich’s future is uncertain, Goretzka, Gnabry, and Coman would likely be sold if a good deal was to be had and both Davies and Musiala carry some question marks regarding their future. Musiala could re-up, but his camp will surely advise him to let this season play out, see how the roster develops, how the team responds to Vincent Kompany, and what the market will be like for him.
Even Nübel, who just extended his contract, must be scratching his head at the rumors that Neuer could be considering playing longer.
The Bavarians will have to be flexible and willing to embrace change, but most importantly, the front office will have to ensure that its acquisitions are on-point. For as much as some of these players are maligned, they did win…a lot.
So, what’s next? Patience for fans and for the team aie. New players will be added before the summer transfer window ends and some familiar faces might be sold. How it all works out remains to be seen.
Will this season bring trophies back to Bavaria…or will trophyless seasons become the new normal?
Looking for our thoughts on the latest news with João Palhinha’s signing, the transfer rumors surrounding Matthijs de Ligt and Leroy Sané, and the future of Manuel Neuer? Good, then we have you covered with our Bavarian Podcast Works — Weekend Warm-up Show! You can get the podcast on Patreon, Spotify, or below: