This upcoming summer is set to be a big one for Bayern Munich. Their Bundesliga dominance is under serious threat this season as they were unable to adequately replace top striker Robert Lewandowski, and they plan to fix that glaring hole in the offseason.
And Bayern also have some more work to do to strengthen their squad as their recent signings are growing unhappy with their lack of playing time.
Meanwhile, Borussia Dortmund’s search for a potential Jude Bellingham replacement continues, and RB Leipzig and Borussia Monchengladbach could also be parting with their in-demand midfielders.
Read on below as SBOTOP breaks down the biggest Bundesliga transfer storylines ahead of the summer window.
Bayern Munich preparing for summer striker search
Bayern Munich have a big mission this summer, and that is to land a top striker. They thought that the Sadio Mane signing would be enough to replace goal machine Robert Lewandowski, but that move has not worked out for the Bavarians, whose Bundesliga 2023 odds of retaining their title are not great at the moment.
Bayern have been linked with big-name strikers such as Harry Kane and Victor Osimhen, as well as two top striker prospects in Atalanta’s Rasmus Hojlund and Eintracht Frankfurt’s Randal Kolo Muani.
While Kane is by far the most established and proven goalscorer of the four, he is also the oldest by a significant margin and will not come cheap should Tottenham decide to sell.
Osimhen has perhaps the highest upside, but he also has the highest price tag – Napoli are reportedly seeking €150 million for the striker – and the stiffest competition.
Hojlund is a promising prospect who has drawn comparisons to Erling Haaland, but the 20-year-old is nowhere near as prolific and is still a considerable risk.
Finally, there is Randal Kolo Muani. The 24-year-old French forward has had a fantastic breakout season at Frankfurt, with 13 goals and 10 assists in the Bundesliga. Bayern great Uli Hoeness and Thomas Tuchel are reportedly big fans of the Frenchman, who can fit in a more fluid forward line.
However, the 24-year-old is also unlikely to come cheap, and it remains to be seen if he is the consistent goalscorer that Bayern seemingly need.
Unhappy Bayern newcomers among potential departures
Aside from Sadio Mane, Bayern Munich could also be parting ways with several of their other recent signings, the former Ajax trio of Daley Blind, Ryan Gravenberch, and Noussair Mazraoui.
Blind, who has only featured five times in all competitions after his arrival in January, is reportedly set to leave Bayern in the summer.
Meanwhile, Gravenberch has publicly vented his displeasure with his lack of playing time this season. The 20-year-old Dutch midfielder has made just one start in 19 Bundesliga appearances, with no goals or assists. But still, he is attracting the interest of Premier League clubs Liverpool, Arsenal, and Manchester United.
Several top clubs are also monitoring the situation of Noussair Mazraoui, who, like Gravenberch, has had limited opportunities after his move from Ajax. A number of Premier League clubs as well as Italian giants Juventus and Inter Milan are reportedly keeping tabs on a potential move for the Moroccan full-back.
Dortmund seeking solution to Bellingham situation
Jude Bellingham looks set to make big Bundesliga 2023 news as he is expected to leave Borussia Dortmund this summer. That leaves BVB with a massive task of finding another capable midfielder should the England international depart.
And it appears Dortmund are eyeing another English midfielder in Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher as Bellingham’s potential replacement.
Gallagher has not had the best season back at the Blues, with just two goals and one assist in 28 Premier League appearances. But he is just a season removed from a terrific loan spell with Crystal Palace, where he had eight goals and three assists in 34 appearances.
Eintracht Frankfurt’s Daichi Kamada, who is available on a free transfer in the summer, has also been mentioned as a potential Dortmund target. The two sides were reportedly close to a verbal agreement back in February, but more recent reports suggest there is no Dortmund deal and that a move to Spain is still possible.
Midfield duo Dani Olmo, Florian Neuhaus in demand
Two of the top midfielders in the Bundesliga in RB Leipzig’s Dani Olmo and Borussia Monchengladbach’s Florian Neuhaus are attracting interest from some big clubs.
Olmo has been linked with a potential move to Barcelona, while Neuhaus has emerged as a target for Premier League clubs Liverpool and Arsenal, among others.
Leipzig and Olmo are in discussions on a contract extension which, if he rejects, would likely cause Leipzig to sell him in the summer.
Neuhaus is in a similar situation as he is entering the final year of his deal at Gladbach. The Foals are already set to lose star striker Marcus Thuram on a free transfer this summer, and they will be keen to cash in on Neuhaus if they cannot come to terms on a contract extension.
Victor Boniface wanted by Bundesliga trio
Victor Osimhen is not the only in-demand Nigerian striker this summer. Another Victor, Victor Boniface, is reportedly on the radar of a trio of Bundesliga clubs, Union Berlin, RB Leipzig, and Eintracht Frankfurt. The Union St. Gilloise striker has been starring in this season’s Europa League. The 22-year-old is the competition’s co-leading scorer with six goals, three of which came against Bundesliga sides Union Berlin and Bayer Leverkusen.
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