Deadline Day is history and, as so often in recent years, not too much happened at FC Bayern in the winter transfer window at first glance. However, if you take a closer look, the German record champions have set an important course. However, one vulnerability has not been fixed.
On the last day of the January transfer period, it was still a little bustling on Säbener Straße. The reason, however, was not the transfer of a well-known player, but the symbolic extension of the contract with Paul Wanner, the 16-year-old jewel who had attracted so much attention in recent weeks and was much courted.
“Paul is a special talent that we want to encourage,” said coach Julian Nagelsmann. Wanner is not the first piece in Bayern’s big squad puzzle for the coming seasons, which is taking shape more and more.
A good two weeks earlier, the Munich team had already extended the contract with Kingsley Coman. The 25-year-old Frenchman was tied until 2027. The contracts of Joshua Kimmich (2025) and Leon Goretzka (2026) were also significantly adjusted and extended in the first half of the season. Further extensions are to follow: Manuel Neuer, Serge Gnabry and last but not least Thomas Müller and Robert Lewandowski should be the bosses’ next big construction sites.
Why FC Bayern is currently focusing on its own players
The thought of external reinforcements hardly plays a role at the moment. Money does not flow into transfers, but into extensions with the service providers. However, that is not surprising, since FC Bayern has put together one of the best teams in Europe and at the same time has made massive efforts to train and integrate young people.
Nagelsmann also recently played a key role here. “Julian has brought in an additional dynamic. He enjoys developing talent,” said Holger Seitz, the sporting director of the Bayern campus, in praise of the new coach at “Bild”.
If a talent doesn’t make the jump right away, it can prove itself on loan. As with U23 player Bright Akwo Arrey-Mbi. The 18-year-old central defender joined 1. FC Köln on Deadline Day for a year and a half. He could return stronger in 2023, exactly when Benjamin Pavard, Lucas Hernández and Co. are entering their last year of contract.
FC Bayern gives away numerous talents
Elsewhere, things were cleaned up: players who were no longer believed capable of making a breakthrough were given up or could even leave. According to “Sky” information, U23 left winger Nemanja Motika is to be sold to Red Star Belgrade for two million euros, Michael Cuisance’s unfortunate interlude ended at the beginning of January and the midfielder, who came from Gladbach for eight million euros in 2019, for still sold four million euros to FC Venice.
Oliver Batista Meyer, like Motika from the U23s and a long time trying to get a taste of the professional team, left Munich and switched to Dynamo Dresden at the beginning of the year. Perennial talent Adrian Fein also joined the Saxons, albeit only until the summer after Fein called off his previous and ill-fated loan to SpVgg Greuther Furth. It is conceivable that Hasan Salihamidzic and Co. will draw a line under the chapter in the summer.
The same fate befell Taylor Booth, who made his professional debut against Bremer SV in the DFB Cup in August but will move on to Utrecht on a free transfer after the end of the season.
Liu Shaoziyang’s loan deal also went a bit under the radar. The promising goalkeeper talent was only signed at the beginning of December until 2025, but should now “take the next step in his development” at Austria Klagenfurt in the next year and a half, as explained by campus manager Sauer.
Does FC Bayern need a replacement for Niklas Süle?
It was also rumored recently that Munich could snap up Matthias Ginter, who was willing to emigrate, as a replacement for Niklas Süle, who will leave the series champion in the summer. But Ginter stayed (for the time being) in Gladbach and, according to “Sport 1”, is no longer a hot topic at Bayern.
It is also questionable whether a replacement for Süle is necessary at all. Most recently, former CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said on “Sky”: “One has to say that FC Bayern is well manned in defense even without Niklas Süle.”
There is no need for a replacement for Süle, Rummenigge continued. “They got Dayot Upamecano, who I think is good. They signed Lucas Hernández a few years ago, who has now established himself. They have the young Tanguy Nianzou and theoretically they still have Benjamin Pavard in central defence,” said the former FCB boss out. “There is no need to fetch anyone.”
Full-back problem with no external solution
With a view to the full-back positions, however, FC Bayern might have had to improve in the winter. Because not only Süle played at times in the back right defense due to the tight squad. The left-back position is also a problem after the bad news about Alphonso Davies and his myocarditis.
In the last few weeks and months there have been rumors about a transfer from Sergino Dest. The right-back, who can also be used on the left, recently complained about too little playing time at FC Barcelona and, according to “ESPN”, has already been traded with Munich. But no transfer took place.
It is quite possible that those responsible want to rely on the internal solution here too: Josip Stanisic. Hopes for the future rest on the young Croatian international. It was not entirely coincidental that it was also extended to 2025 in mid-October.
Chris Rohdenburg