Bayern Munich star Joshua Kimmich has been linked with a potential move to FC Barcelona this summer by media outlets in Spain, citing that the midfielder is a “priority signing” for Xavi and company.
The Barcelona manager is a huge admirer of Kimmich’s and the feeling is mutual, but none of the rumors circulating are concrete. Some of the aforementioned rumors go as far as suggesting that Kimmich would follow in the footsteps of former teammate Robert Lewandowski, who moved to Barcelona from Bayern last summer after making it clear that he no longer had a future in Munich. Those rumors are rather baseless.
Kimmich signed his most recent five-year contract extension back in the fall of 2021 along with Leon Goretzka, as the two midfielders are internally considered to be cornerstones of the future of the club. For Goretzka’s case, that might not be as true now, but there’s no denying the assumption that Kimmich is in line for a future captaincy role at both Bayern and Germany. His current contract is set to run through June 2025, but Bayern could try to enter negotiations for another extension in the coming season in anticipation of him entering the final two years on his contract.
Per football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, who cited Bild, Kimmich is not worried about the rumors linking him with a move to the Catalans right now and is instead focused on what he can achieve with Bayern in the next two seasons. It’s also worth noting that Thomas Tuchel’s contract runs through June 2025 as he signed a two and half year deal when he took over for Julian Nagelsmann.
Joshua Kimmich on Barça interest: “It was difficult not to come across it [the rumors]. Generally, I’m not too invested in the rumors”. #FCB
“I still have, as everyone knows, two years left on my contract and we have big plans [for those two years] at Bayern”, via BILD. pic.twitter.com/qlE7AwFPAT
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 12, 2023
For Bayern’s sake, with the addition of Konrad Laimer from RB Leipzig and Tuchel wanting to sign a No. 6, defensive midfielder this summer, it’s far more likely that either Ryan Gravenberch, Leon Goretzka, or Marcel Sabitzer would be candidates for sale instead of Kimmich.
Internally, Bayern’s board and front office consider Kimmich to be unsellable along with Jamal Musiala, who’s also garnered a great deal of interest from top clubs across Europe.
