Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich went into the summer transfer window needing to sort out certain key positions but will have been left disappointed with their dealings.
Bayern head coach Thomas Tuchel wanted a new defensive midfielder and striker. There was also the need for a new right-back, as Benjamin Pavard informed the club he would leave this summer.
However, while Bayern did secure one of the best strikers in Europe, they failed to sign a defensive midfielder and a right-back.
Bayern needed a pure centre-forward to lead the line following the departure of Robert Lewandowski last year.
They signed Sadio Mane from Liverpool, but he did not live up to expectations and they moved him on this summer.
Despite Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy making negotiations difficult, Bayern sealed a Bundesliga record deal of £86 million plus add-ons for Harry Kane.
He was their top target, and they moved decisively to seal the deal. He is already repaying his massive transfer fee with three goals in two league outings.
Tuchel was crying out for a holding midfielder to partner Joshua Kimmich in the middle of the park, and the club took most of the window to decide on a target.
They eventually settled on a move for Fulham destroyer Joao Palhinha and tried to thrash out a deal with the Cottagers.
The Portuguese midfielder even travelled to Germany for his medicals, only for the transfer to collapse, and he returned to London.
João Palhinha was shocked by what happened yesterday. The player was convinced he would join Bayern. He completed his medical, did media duties with the Bayern shirt and the contracts were ready. Fulham tried for different players (Fofana, Højbjerg, McTominay) but couldn't reach… pic.twitter.com/1nZDput40v
— Bayern & Germany (@iMiaSanMia) September 2, 2023
Bayern, once respected and feared for their speed and nimbleness in the transfer market, waited until the final hours to fill such a crucial gap in their squad and still didn’t get it done.
They now don’t have a holding midfielder in their squad, although they did sign box-to-box pressing machine Konrad Laimer.
Laimer and Leon Goretzka have been partnering with Kimmich in their games this season, but the squad needs a midfielder who can play deeper.
Bayern failed to sign their top right-back target, Kyle Walker, who chose to stay at Manchester City. It did not help that Pavard and Josip Stanisic left.
They did not find any other target attractive and have decided to head into the campaign with Noussair Mazraoui and Bouna Sarr as their right-back options.
Pavard’s departure does not only leave Die Rekordmeister light at full-back but at centre-back despite the impressive capture of Kim Min-jae from Napoli.
Bayern sold Lucas Hernandez to Paris Saint-Germain and replaced him with Min-jae.
The South Korean has adapted to the Bundesliga seamlessly, but Bayern could be in trouble having only three options in central defence.
Min-jae, Dayot Upamecano and Matthijs De Ligt are their only senior centre-backs. It could cost them points later on.
They failed to agree on a loan deal with Chelsea for centre-back Trevoh Chalobah and could not find another cost-effective target.
However, they did manage to find cover for Alphonso Davies, snapping up Raphael Guerreiro as a free agent following his departure from Borussia Dortmund.
The Portuguese defender is one of the best in his position and should be more than adequate cover for Davies, who was poor last season.
Bayern’s summer transfer window has been a mixed bag of success and disappointment.
While they successfully secured some top-quality additions such as Kane, Min-jae, Laimer and Guerreiro, the club has left significant gaps in key positions unaddressed.
The failure to sign a defensive midfielder and a right-back has raised concerns about the squad’s balance and depth, potentially impacting their performance this season.
The departures of Stanisic, Pavard and Hernandez without adequate replacements has left Bayern vulnerable in defence, and their limited options at centre-back could prove costly.
While the new signings are undoubtedly valuable, the club must address these glaring weaknesses to maintain their status as Bundesliga giants and contend for top honours this season.
