One of the summer's biggest transfer stories has finally been confirmed. England captain Harry Kane has signed for Bayern Munich for around €100m, with the Spurs all-time leading scorer set to leave his boyhood club.
A truly seismic transfer that has shook the football world. Kane leaves behind his chase to become the Premier League’s all-time leading scorer, and instead opts to join the German champions for a guaranteed chance to fight for trophies.
The question now is how will Thomas Tuchel add to his squad to suit the arrival of Harry Kane. Despite getting the deal over the line, Bayern are still looking for further reinforcements in defence and midfield.
Let’s take a look at some of the targets Bayern are looking to add before the summer window closes.
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Pierre Kalulu (AC Milan)
With each passing day, it’s looking increasingly likely that Bayern Munich will be selling Benjamin Pavard to Inter Milan. Of course, this would be great for the bank balance of Bayern Munich, but it would leave a gaping hole in terms of quality defenders. Should Pavard ultimately be sold, which seems almost a certainty at the moment, Bayern Munich is understandably hoping to grab a suitable replacement as quickly as possible. This is where Pierre Kalulu enters the picture, as Bayern Munich is reportedly looking to make a move for the 23-year-old defender who currently plays for AC Milan.
As you might be aware, Kalulu is one of the most promising youngsters in his role at AC Milan. And at the moment, Kalulu has a long-term contract in place with his current club. Therefore, taking the fact that he is young, he has great potential, and because of his current contract status, Pierre Kalulu will not come without a hefty price. Nevertheless, we know that he is one of the Bayern Munich transfer targets right now, and a transfer bid could be made over the coming days. Yet if Bayern Munich are to secure the services of this defender for the 23/24 season, it’s rumored that they will need to stump up around €30 million.
This is obviously not chump change, yet because Kalulu has been on the bench for the first few games of the season, he could well jump at a chance to come to a club like Bayern Munich.
Scott McTominay (Man Utd)
Scott McTominay isn’t a constant first-team pick at Manchester United, yet he does play an important role when coming off the bench. In fact, Ten Haag seems to favor McTominay over other options in that particular position. However, the fact remains that McTominay isn’t getting enough pitch time for his liking, which is why I feel that Scott McTominay would be open to a transfer to Bayern Munich if an offer was made. With that said, although McTominay is officially one of the main Bayern Munich transfer targets in the midfield, it’s most likely that a loan bid will be made as opposed to a direct signing.
So, would the 26-year-old midfielder leave Manchester United to join Bayern Munich on a season-long loan? Well, taking his lack of pitch time into account, I’d say that the answer to this question is yes. And if the recent rumors are true, Bayern Munich could be planning to approach Man Utd with a swap deal involving Ryan Gravenberch. While such an offer has yet to be made official, I can see how Ten Haag could be tempted by such a move, even if he does claim to value McTominay’s worth at Manchester United.
Federico Chiesa (Juventus)
Chiesa is now one of the few forward targets still available on the market, with the likes of Kai Havertz opting to join Arsenal.
The 25-year-old Juventus man was hampered by injury early in the season which reduced him to a supporting role in Allegri’s set-up. Chiesa started just six Serie A games but scored twice, slightly outperforming his xG of 1.47. Since getting back to full fitness he has netted three goals in five games in all competitions, including what proved to be the winner against the Netherlands in the UEFA Nations League.
His versatility and ability to play deeper in pockets of space, similar to Thomas Müller, has him high on the Bayern shopping list. The Italian would add a new element to Bayern’s attack, but with the arrival of Kane, Bayern would need to sell some players in order to fund another forward transfer of this caliber.
One of the major areas for improvement is the defensive unit, especially if the title winners are to mount a serious challenge for the Champions League next season. The Bavarians conceded 38 times in the league as they scraped to their 11th straight title on goal difference. It was their second-worst defensive display during that streak (44 goals in 2020/21). With Lucas Hernandez having crossed back over the Rhine to join Paris Saint-Germain and fellow Frenchman Benjamin Pavard also expected to leave, gaps must be filled.
Kyle Walker (Manchester City)
A transfer saga that seems to have gone on all summer is that of Manchester City and England defender Kyle Walker. Reports have linked Waker with a move away from The Etihad this summer, with the Bundesliga champions clear in their interest.
The 33-year-old would bring with him versatility and a wealth of experience, which is something that the current backline has been missing. The average age of the four defenders that were blown away by Walker’s City in the Champions League quarter-final first leg was just 24 and he would become the second oldest outfield player
Why is defensive stability so high on Bayern’s list of priorities? Since Tuchel joined in March, the team conceded 1.42 goals per game which is way above his recent standards. While Tuchel coached Chelsea, the Londoners only conceded 1.05 goals per game in his century of matches in charge and previously in Paris, despite having a side stuffed with attacking talent, they didn’t let in more than a goal per game (0.9).
Even at Borussia Dortmund, where he was known for a high-pressing style that could leave space behind, the organization was such that BVB only conceded 1.13 goals per game.
For the German’s system to work higher up the field, he needs a watertight unit at the back. Kyle Walker fits the bill perfectly and has shown no signs of losing his pace or athleticism. City boss Pep Guardiola has been open in his praise for the right-back in recent weeks, and even made Walker the captain when City faced Bayern in a pre-season friendly back in July.
This story could rumble on as the tug-of-war for Walker’s services continues. The Bayern hierarchy will have to start looking at alternative options soon with the closing of the transfer window looming.
Ibrahim Sangaré (PSV)
It seems Bayern are also still on the hunt for some more midfield depth, more specifically a player that provides defensive cover in front of the back four.
PSV Eindhoven’s Ibrahim Sangaré has been on the radar of many European clubs for the last few transfer windows, with Bayern the latest to show interest in the Ivorian international.
Sangaré is only 25 and would provide Bayern with a true number 6 that is good enough to improve their squad immediately, but is also young enough that he will only get better.
Goals were also added to his game last season, scoring 8 in all competitions, with PSV finishing 2nd in the Eredivisie and losing in the round of 32 of the Europa League to eventual winners Sevilla.
The one question mark surrounding this move would be the lack of Champions League experience, as well as the weight of joining such a big club. However, a player that possesses the quality and calmness that Sangaré does should have no trouble making the step up.
With the transfer window still open until 1st September, Tuchel and the Bayern hierarchy still have time to add to their squad and ensure that Harry Kane is surrounded by players that make him flourish.
It is going to be a very exciting season for the German champions, who now look to be one of the favourites going into this season's Champions League.
