Bayern Munich need to sign a striker this summer and Thomas Tuchel has made it clear that it’s one of his priorities in the summer window to do so, along with a defensive midfielder. They’ve already signed Konrad Laimer from RB Leipzig and all but completed the signing of Raphael Guerreiro from Borussia Dortmund, but Tuchel has said that he’d prefer the bulk of Bayern’s transfer business to be getting done quicker than it has been. It’s preferred that player’s are signed before the preseason starts at the beginning of July.
SSC Napoli’s Victor Osimhen, Eintracht Frankfurt’s Randal Kolo Muani, Juventus’ Dušan Vlahović, and even Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane have all been linked with potential moves to Bayern to be the club’s main striker, but only Kolo Muani and Vlahović remain as realistic targets — all of the others have effectively been ruled out.
Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting did sign a one-year contract extension with Bayern, but he is not internally considered to be a long-term option in replacing Robert Lewandowski, as this season highlighted how costly it was to not replace him directly last summer. Likewise, it is also possible that Mathys Tel gets loaned out this summer, as the club feels it’s too early and unfair to put pressure on him to be the main striker.
Despite the desperate need for an outright striker this transfer window and the lack of a new sporting director, club president Herbert Hainer is confident the club will find the right solution for the striker position. He expressed this sentiment speaking on Bild TV over the weekend. “The same names are being mentioned in the media: Kolo Muani, Harry Kane, Osimhen, Vlahović. We’re looking at it closely to see who fits Bayern best. Tuchel also has a say. We’re also looking at the economic part. I’m convinced we’ll find a good solution,” he explained (via @iMiaSanMia).
Bayern’s board has said that they would possibly green-light a transfer upwards of 100-million euros to bring in a top-class striker, but as Hainer alluded to, they have to find the right solution. Replacing a striker that can guarantee you at least 30-40 goals across all competitions is a rather tall order, but at the same time necessary to keep pace with the other elite clubs in Europe.
