Bayern Munich are likely to be busier than usual this summer as Robert Lewandowski is planning to move on after eight productive seasons at the Allianz Arena.
Die Bayern insist that the Pole will see out the remainder of his current contract, but you never want an unhappy camper in your team since it’ll affect your Bundesliga 2022 odds for a repeat next term in a negative way.
They’ve won the Bundesliga for the 10th straight time, but it was otherwise a disappointing 2021-22 season for the Bavarians by their standards since they failed to win the DFB-Pokal and they exited the Champions League earlier than usual at the hands of Villarreal.
Changes are on the horizon and getting fresh faces could be the key to bolster Julian Nagelsmann’s side, so continue to read on below as SBOTOP lists down their top transfer needs.
Backup goalkeeper
Manuel Neuer is still one of the best shot stoppers out there and he just signed a two-year extension last May, but he’s not getting any younger at 36 years of age.
To his credit, he has always been available for his club, but he’s becoming more injured these past few seasons – including a knee surgery months ago – so a succession plan is something that Bayern Munich should consider in the long-term.
Sven Ulreich is also approaching the wrong side of his 30’s and he hasn’t played that much, while their youngster in Alexander Nubel is currently out on loan playing for AS Monaco in Ligue 1.
With Christian Fruchtl and Ron-Thorben Hoffmann sold, the Bavarians need another body between the posts, ideally a youngster who can be a viable backup goalkeeper at least until Alexander Nubel returns from France.
Unfortunately for Bayern Munich, there are limited options out there in the transfer market to fill this particular need.
One of them is Stefan Ortega, who has been at Arminia Bielefeld since 2017. The 29-year-old was once linked with a move to Bavaria earlier this year, but he is now being pursued by Manchester City.
Centre-back
Bayern Munich’s defence could also use some fine-tuning by adding more depth at centre-half.
The Bavarians have a strong core of defenders especially with the addition of Noussair Mazraoui, but Dayot Upamecano is their only bona fide centre-back since Niklas Sule is leaving for Borussia Dortmund. Benjamin Pavard and Lucas Hernandez can also play centre-back, but they might be called upon to play as full-backs from time to time.
Youngsters Tanguy Nianzou and Josip Stanisic are viable prospects for Julian Nagelsmann, but both are still raw and they might get loaned out in order to gain more experience.
Chris Richards, on the other hand, was loaned to Hoffenheim last season and he may choose to make his move there permanent or he may join another club. The USMNT star has several suitors from La Liga and in the Premier League.
Julian Nagelsmann is looking for an experienced defender who can contribute and lead right away, but they haven’t had much luck on that regard thus far.
Previous reports indicate that Andreas Christensen, Antonio Rudiger, and Matthias Ginter were all listed as their centre-back targets. However, the Bavarians can no longer get them since Christensen is set to join Barcelona, while Rudiger and Ginter have signed with Real Madrid and SC Freiburg respectively.
Ajax defender Jurrien Timber is another possible candidate, but Bayern Munich might put themselves in a bidding war with Manchester United for his services.
Forward
The Bavarians should continue to be a fixture in the Bundesliga 2022 highlights reel with a new-look frontline that they’ll have next term.
Sadio Mane’s arrival undoubtedly adds another big gun to their attacking arsenal – which already has the likes of Serge Gnabry, Leroy Sane, Thomas Muller, and Kingsley Coman.
The former Liverpool man may not score goals at the same rate as Robert Lewandowski, but he’s an equally consistent star who should be able to adjust to the Bundesliga right away.
The 30-year-old forward had a successful six-year stint with Liverpool with 120 goals in 269 games across all competitions. He was also a key cog for the Reds’ Champions League triumph in 2019, as well as their Premier League win in 2020.
But despite his addition, bringing in one more capable scorer would surely come in handy for Die Bayern in light of Lewandowski’s saga. Sasa Kalajdzic is one target that the Bavarians are actively pursuing. Stuttgart reportedly want €25 to €30-M for the Austrian hitman – which is considered by many as a bargain.
●●●
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FOOTBALL STORIES & ODDS
Stay updated with everything sports and betting.
Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
