After the speculation about Thomas Müller’s future has just died down, Joshua Kimmich is now also associated with a departure from FC Bayern. sport.de answers the most important questions about the explosive transfer rumors.
What rumors are currently circulating about Joshua Kimmich?
In Spain in particular, the rumor mill is currently brewing. “El Nacional” reported on a troubled relationship between the 28-year-old and the club’s leadership at FC Bayern. Kimmich felt “not appreciated enough,” it said, and flirted with a farewell. In particular, the separation from ex-coach Julian Nagelsmann is said to annoy the midfielder.
Kimmich was considered a close confidante of Thomas Tuchel’s predecessor. It was also he who vehemently denied the reports of a break between Nagelsmann and the team – which is said to have caused irritation within the dressing room.
According to “Mundo Deportivo”, these disagreements brought FC Barcelona to the scene. Kimmich is a “real option” for Barca, the newspaper wrote. He is seriously considering a move to Catalonia. Initial efforts to bag the deal have already been initiated.
Barca should even be ready to offer Andreas Christensen, Frenkie de Jong and former BVB professional Ousmane Dembélé as possible exchange objects at Bayern.
Rumors about Real Madrid’s alleged interest in Kimmich have recently become louder again. The royals are ready to offer 80 million euros for him in the summer of 2024, reported “Diario Gol”. Together with Jude Bellingham, he should form the midfield center of the Spanish record champions and thus inherit Luka Modric and Toni Kroos.
How does Bayern Munich feel about Joshua Kimmich?
According to “Sport1”, the current speculation on Säbener Straße is left unperturbed. Kimmich is planned as a top performer at FC Bayern for years to come and is “not for sale”, the TV station reported.
One thing is clear: If Kimmich also disembarks, the people of Munich are threatened with a power vacuum in the near future. The contracts of captain Manuel Neuer and representative Thomas Müller expire in 2024. Kimmich could then move up from number three in the hierarchy to the top of the ranking.
Coach Thomas Tuchel appreciates the leading player. “He is someone who embodies Bayern Munich, in his ambition, in his will, he is an absolute model professional,” he said of Kimmich.
In order to give the allegedly courted professional more freedom on the pitch in the future, Tuchel wants to provide him with a defensively thinking neighbor next season.
Rumors surround Edson Álvarez (Ajax Amsterdam) and Declan Rice (West Ham United). Casemiro (Manchester United) was also last traded at FC Bayern, but should not be a serious option.
How realistic is Joshua Kimmich’s departure from Bayern?
Very unlikely. FC Bayern know what Kimmich has to offer, even if he is certainly not in the best shape of his career at the moment – and what an almost adequate replacement would cost. It is also doubtful whether Kimmich’s reservations about those responsible are really as great as claimed by the Spanish media.
But: Robert Lewandowski’s move to FC Barcelona or David Alaba’s departure to Real Madrid initially seemed unthinkable. Ultimately, however, FC Bayern lost the two key players.
And: Kimmich himself confirmed in the summer of 2022 that a move abroad is fundamentally appealing to him. “That would be an interesting challenge. I don’t know what will happen in a few years, we’ll see,” he said at the time to the French magazine “So Foot “.
Since Kimmich’s contract expires in 2025, speculation is likely to increase rather than decrease in the course of the coming season – another source of trouble for FC Bayern.
Tobias Knoop