During his fourteen years as a goalkeeper at FC Bayern, Oliver Kahn was able to observe at close quarters how the art of defending was changing. At first, so-called man deckers appeared before him, their names were Thomas Helmer and Markus Babbel, and they pursued their opponents mercilessly – at least that was the doctrine in many places in the 1990s. Kahn later held balls behind a back four with two central defenders: Martin Demichelis and Daniel Van Buyten did it in his last Bundesliga game in 2008. Even if they were rustic representatives of the field, their job profile was diverse.
In any case, what has probably changed less over the years is what effective defense sounds like. Every defense needs someone who gives loud commands.
When the current CEO Kahn, 53, opened the window in his office last season, he obviously didn’t like what he heard. He saw talented defenders practicing on the training ground, but they were probably too quiet for him. So one could interpret what Kahn now the Kicker said: Basically, as the magazine quoted him, “we are very satisfied with the quality in the center. But we can improve on the points of leadership, volume and presence”. Which brings you to the transfer activities of the record champions.
This Friday, the most spectacular approach could hit the lawn on Säbener Straße for the first time, attacker Sadio Mané, 30, is expected in training. Next Tuesday, the last national players should also return, which is particularly exciting because that includes Robert Lewandowski: The fact that the Pole, 33, does not show up to force his move to Barcelona is at least not completely impossible.
Everyone knows each other: Robert Lewandowski in a duel with de Ligt in 2018, then still an Ajax player.
(Photo: HJS/Imago)
In any case, FC Barcelona President Joan Laporta reported an intermediate result on Thursday: “We made an offer for the player, Bayern are checking it and we’re waiting for their answer, which will hopefully be positive,” he said in front of journalists – and thanked Lewandowski “for everything he does” to make the change possible. Laporta did not name the amount of the offer. Sequel follows.
Mané and Lewandowski, these names have so far shaped the talks about the new Bayern team; In the meantime, an even more prominent name has been mentioned as a possible Lewandowski replacement: Cristiano Ronaldo, 37, who asked for his release from Manchester United, was apparently offered to Munich through his advisor. Kahn also commented: “As much as I appreciate Cristiano Ronaldo as one of the greatest: a transfer would not fit into our philosophy.”
Something that got lost in the light of all the transfers of offensive players that were implemented, pending or rejected until a few days ago: Bayern Munich scored 97 Bundesliga goals in their first season under coach Julian Nagelsmann; at the same time, it was the goals conceded, in some games a striking number, that were criticized.
Benjamin Pavard would like to move from the right to the middle – but maybe De Ligt will play there soon
Now it’s an outdated assumption from the heyday of Helmer and Babbel that forwards charge and defenders defend. But it was often players from the defensive line who weren’t completely convincing. Neither Dayot Upamecano nor Lucas Hernández managed to compensate for the departure of defense chief David Alaba: Above all, the coaching of the back team during ongoing operations, which the Austrian Alaba practiced, has been missing in Munich for a year now. Upamecano and Hernández stood out more as athletic duels than as sovereign organizers. And Niklas Süle moved to Borussia Dortmund on a free transfer.
The only new defender in the squad so far is Noussair Mazraoui on the right wing, the Moroccan from Ajax Amsterdam aiming to fill a gap in the squad since Joshua Kimmich moved to the center of midfield. Benjamin Pavard, previously against his preference mostly first choice as a right-back in various basic orders, is now considered a further addition for the middle. But now someone else is also considered a possible next defense boss: Matthijs de Ligt from Juventus Turin.
Sports director Hasan Salihamidzic was in Italy on Wednesday to negotiate for the first time a transfer of the Dutchman, which Bayern dealt with in 2019. At that time he went from Ajax Amsterdam to Juve for an estimated 85 million euros and an annual salary of allegedly twelve million. According to reports, the negotiations are now moving in similar dimensions. Allegedly, de Ligt would at least like to move to Munich, which would improve Salihamidzic’s negotiating position.
De Ligt, 22, had his flashier years in Amsterdam; in Turin he was not always the outstanding defender he was brought in to be. Captain Leonardo Bonucci was the boss of the Juve defense recently. De Ligt is still considered a complete player, and he would probably suit Munich football with his offensive defensive style, which was shaped by the Ajax school.
So the question remains as to how FC Bayern can pay de Ligt. The answer could also have to do with player sales, possibly also with Robert Lewandowski. Exit therefore: open.
