When the transfers of Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui to Manchester United are finalized, the Bayern Munich backline will have lost two starters. To replace them, Vincent Kompany will have to lean on the following players:
Center-back
- Kim Min-jae: Solid, but struggled with positioning during his first season in Bavaria, while also wearing down with fatigue and nagging injuries.
- Dayot Upamecano: A great talent, but mistake-prone in big situations. Confidence and consistency can be an issue.
- Eric Dier: A godsend last season, Dier likely will not get featured much under Kompany. Dier’s partnership with De Ligt was a big reason why Bayern Munich was able to finish strong last season.
- Josip Stanišić: The Swiss Army Knife of defenders, the Croatian can do it all and could be poised to end up being the most consistent player of this lot, but his services might be needed elsewhere.
Right-back
- Stanišić: Yeah, this is where he might be needed most. While he can also play center-back, left-back and in the defensive midfield with ease, the 24-year-old’s versatility might actually end up preventing him from becoming a starter at center-back or right-back. Simply put, he offers security and the assurance of steady play as a reserve.
- Sacha Boey: A wild card, injuries threw his inaugural season in Bavaria off-course. What does Bayern Munich really have in him? We’ll soon find out.
- Joshua Kimmich: The veteran is in a “break glass in case of emergency” spot for right-back as of now. Kompany is planning with him as a central midfielder.
De Ligt was a spectacular player for Bayern Munich, while Mazraoui was also more than capable as a starter at the highest level. Losing those two will not be easy. Does it mean that doom is imminent? No, but the pressure to perform will now be on this back line — particularly the center-back and right-back positions.
And sure, Bayer Leverkusen’s Jonathan Tah could join the Bavarians and add another experienced body into the center-back mix. Will it be an upgrade, though? Probably not — but hey, at least the payroll is lower is now.
Looking for more thoughts and analysis on Bayern Munich’s developing midfield situation, where Joshua Kimmich fits into it, and how it will have an effect on several other players? What about our takes on the transfer situations surrounding Jonathan Tah and Bryan Zaragoza, plus some key things to look out for as Bayern prepares to face Tottenham Hotspur (again!)? If none of that floats your boat, maybe you just want to hear a bitter man yell about that lousy season of House of the Dragon? You can check out any or all of that on Patreon, Spotify, or below: