?Thomas Muller’s resurgent campaign was rightly rewarded with a new contract this week, with the 30-year-old’s new deal keeping him at the club until 2023.
The Bayern veteran has been at his raumdeutering best this term, finding his best form under Hansi Flick following an alienating 15 or so months with Niko Kovac at the helm.
But despite Muller’s success, there’s little doubting that the heir to his throne is required and Bayern look set to make their move for his long-term replacement in the next transfer window.
Flick has generally deployed a 4-2-3-1 since his November arrival, with the number ten spot generally being occupied by Muller – who’s also drifted wide – Leon Goretzka and loanee Phillipe Coutinho. And with the German boss’ system being so dynamic and fluid, their next ‘number ten’ will have to be someone who’s tactically flexible, versatile and capable of taking the burden of Robert Lewandowski in terms of goalscoring.
Here are four candidates…
Kai Havertz
A generational talent.
It just seems inevitable the 20-year-old Havertz will be strutting his stuff at the Allianz Arena for the next decade, with Bayern’s interest in the player well known.
Following his rise in Bayer Leverkusen’s youth sides, Havertz enjoyed a breakout campaign last season – making 21 goal contributions. And following a difficult
The signing of the Leverkusen star just has to be priority number one for the Die Roten board, no matter the fee.
Potential Price: £90m – £105m
Donny van de Beek
The man who rose to prominence amid Ajax’s giant-killing Champions League
The Dutchman has built on his impressive 2018/19 campaign with 21 goal contributions in all competitions this term, continuing to excel under Erik ten Hag.
While he’s proven to be more than capable of producing in the final third, it’s his intelligence, spatial awareness and vision which make him such a unique and fantastic footballer.
Overall, it’s likely he’ll succeed wherever he goes but the 22-year-old would be such a good fit in Hansi Flick’s system which preaches versatility and the ability to exploit space.
Potential Price: £45m – £60m
Luca Waldschmidt
Freiburg’s Luca Waldschmidt wouldn’t necessarily be an alternative to the above two, but a proven Bundesliga talent who Bayern
Waldschmidt came to prominence following a record-breaking seven goal campaign with the Germany Under-21 squad at the Euros last summer, with Joachim Low so impressed he gifted the 23-year-old his first senior international cap just a few months later against Argentina.
While he’s generally operated as a centre-forward throughout his senior career, Waldschmidt possesses a skill set which means he could serve as an effective number ten, or at least a shadow striker.
The German’s low centre of gravity allows him to maintain possession in tight spaces and drift away from opponents, while he’s more than capable of spotting and executing the final pass in the attacking third. His rocket of a left-foot has also been compared to Lukas Podolski’s, so it’s fair to say he’s a potent threat from the edge of the area.
Potential Price: £20m – £27m
Philippe Coutinho
If all else fails, Bayern may well turn their attentions to an unlikely permanent move for Phillipe Coutinho.
Despite notching eight goals and six assists during his loan spell at Die Roten, it’s fair to say his stint in Munich has been defined by ‘moments’.
He’s failed to string together a consistent run of games in the Bayern starting XI and since Flick’s appointment, the Brazilian’s often been subject to cameos off the bench with either Muller or Goretzka favoured in the advanced midfield role.
The versatile creator has still displayed his talent on occasions this season and signing Coutinho permanently wouldn’t be by any means disastrous for Bayern, but the player looks set for a new adventure next season – possibly in the Premier League
Potential Price: £55m – £70m
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