According to a report from Bild (as captured by @iMiaSanMia), Bayern Munich is aware that Joshua Kimmich wants to play in the central midfield and knows that the Germany international must see a future for himself at the position in Bavaria if he is to ink a contract extension with the club.
Head coach Vincent Kompany will be the person who most affects that situation and seems to have a plan:
Just like in the game against Tottenham, Vincent Kompany is using Joshua Kimmich mostly in midfield even in training. For Kimmich, the position is a crucial factor for his future. He has no problem helping out at right-back, but sees himself in midfield in the long term. Kompany also seems to recognize that Kimmich’s playmaking qualities in midfield can be extremely important. The fact that Max Eberl recently spoke of an “important role” was also a positive for Kimmich.
In recent months, Kimmich has been particularly concerned about what he sees as a lack of appreciation for his strong performances over the years. That’s why he was surprised by the often critical-sounding statements. But now things sound much more positive and there’s hope Kimmich would continue to play for Bayern in the coming years, especially if Kompany is planning with him in midfield in the long-term.
This news should be a boon to both Sacha Boey and Josip Stanišić, who are in a competition for the starting role at right-back.
What does this mean for players like Leon Goretzka, Aleksandar Pavlović, and Konrad Laimer? Well, their respective situations just got more complicated given Kimmich’s desire to play in the central midfield and the presence of new arrival João Palhinha.
It is already widely known that Bayern Munich wants to sell Goretzka, and Laimer seems like he is set for a role as a deep reserve (which will likely result in a transfer next summer), but Pavlović, who looks like a rising star, could be caught in a tough spot for his development.
Pavlović burst onto the scene last season and has the look of someone who might just have “it.” However, Kompany has reportedly decided to rotate more, which could open up playing time for Pavlović. That might be easier to say than to actually do, however, given the expectations (and egos) that will be present on the Bayern Munich roster.
Regardless, Bayern Munich seems to know what it needs to do to keep Kimmich. Manchester City, Liverpool FC, Arsenal FC, FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Paris Saint-Germain are said to be among the clubs interested in Kimmich should he decide he needs to move on.
Looking for more thoughts and analysis on Bayern Munich’s final list of players, who are up for sale? What about some insight on why Xavi Simons opted for RB Leipzig over Bayern and why Joshua Kimmich will use this season to gauge what the next move will be for his future? Good, then we have you covered with the latest edition of our Bavarian Podcast Works — Weekend Warm-up Show. You can get the podcast on Patreon, Spotify, or below: