SPECIAL REPORT
By Fabio Porta
The announcement that Pep Guardiola will continue his illustrious coaching career with Bayern Munich has brought with it a wave of speculation over who he might bring to the Allianz Arena. Neymar, Isco and Thiago Alcantara are all among the names linked with a move to Bavaria, and the winds of change are hitting the Bundesliga.
Of course, the Spaniard will want to stamp his mark on his new squad, and Goal.com can reveal he has already identified two types of players that he wants to bring in.
While there is likely to be an emphasis on youth during Guardiola’s time at Bayern, the issue of the club finally winning their fifth European crown is the primary goal.
Pep won the Champions League twice during his time at Camp Nou, and in order to add a third crown to his trophy cabinet, two main targets have been identified.
| BUILDING ANOTHER LEGACY |
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| Pilar Suarez | Barcelona correspondent
Pep will encourage youth at Bayern, but it would be a mistake to believe that he will promote young players into the first team right away. Every club is different, and due to his ties with Barcelona, he is unlikely to try to bring Blaugrana players with him to Germany. Bayern represent a big challenge for him – he can reach unbelievable heights in the Bundesliga. He has good players available to him and he will get the best out of them without poaching any Barca players. He wants to start over and have a new experience. That is the challenge. |
The first is the type of ball-playing centre-back that Guardiola typically favours, with his first choice being a name familiar to Bayern fans: Mats Hummels. The Roten released him as a youth, and he has forged a career for himself at Borussia Dortmund, and has been linked with a host of clubs since.
The player admitted himself that he “no longer gives a damn” about about Bayern, while their sacking of his father, former youth coach Herman, will have burned a potential bridge back to Munich.
The other type of player targeted by Guardiola is a midfielder in the Cheick Tiote mould. While they already possess a number of options in midfield, none offer a truly physical option. With Bayern set to play a more attacking style of play under Pep, the Newcastle man’s ability to break up play will come in handy against counterattacks.
There is also the issue of getting rid of the dead weight in the Bayern squad which he must address.
While the Bavarians boast a host of talent, there are several players in their ranks who offer little to the squad. Nils Petersen arrived at the club in the summer of 2011, but has made no impression on the first team. He is currently on loan at Werder Bremen, and is likely to stay there, despite extending his contract at the club until 2015 in the summer.
Meanwhile, Rafinha, another acquisition before the start of last season, was signed originally as a solution to their problems at full-back. However, he has disappointed, and David Alaba promptly sealed his place in the first team. He has 18 months left to run on his contract, but is unlikely to see them out.
Then, there are the veterans. Anatoliy Tymoshchuk has no chance of securing a first-team spot with the wealth of talent Bayern possess in midfield, and would welcome a return to Ukraine in the twilight of his career.
Daniel Van Buyten’s days at the Allianz Arena appear to be numbered, having found himself ousted from the starting XI, and although he recently voiced his intention to sign a contract extension, the arrival of Jan Kirchhoff in the summer is likely to signal the end of the Belgian’s Roten career.
Claudio Pizarro was brought in at the start of the season, and although he has been impressive during his handful of appearances this term, his one-year contract tells a story of its own – Bayern have no need for players of his age in the squad going forward.
Prospects | Germany youth stars like Emre Can could become regulars under Pep
None of these players will leave a significant gap in the Bayern squad. The Bavarians have Emre Can, Mitchell Weiser, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Daniel Wein and more waiting in the wings, and given their previous success with academy graduates such as Toni Kroos, Philipp Lahm, Thomas Muller and Bastian Schweinsteiger, they could turn to their existing reinforcements to replace them.
Their case for a promotion next season is also strengthened by Guardiola’s penchant for blooding Cantera players during his time at Barcelona. Pedro, Sergio Busquets, Thiago Alcantara and Isaac Cuenca are all among the names who owe their young careers to the 42-year-old.
Bayern sporting director Matthias Sammer formerly held a development role at the German Football Federation (DFB), and will be similarly eager to nurture these talents.
Elsewhere in Germany, another new generation is coming through. Bayer Leverkusen’s Lars Bender is already a full international and a known target, and Eintracht Frankfurt duo Sebastien Rode and Sebastian Jung have seen their stock rise considerably this season. There is also the Bochum youngster Leon Goretzka, reportedly being watched by a host of clubs across Europe.
The future is bright for Bayern; under Guardiola they can build another great team to dominate the world game, just as they did in the 1970s.