Bayern are one of the most active participants in the summer transfer window. The Munich side released defender Niklas Süle and midfielder Corentin Tolisso for free and also sold striker Robert Lewandowski to Barcelona for 45 million euros. That’s a good amount for an older striker with an expiring contract. At the same time, the German champions also sold defender Omar Richards to Crystal Palace for 8.5 million euros and midfielder Mark Roca to Leeds for 12 million.
At the same time, Bayern signed five newcomers at once. The Munich club has spent much more on the transfer market than they have earned, but it’s worth it. Previously, the sports director of Bayern Hasan Salihamidzic was criticized a lot for his decisions, but this time he brought exactly those who were needed.
Noussair Mazraoui
One of Bayern’s first newcomers was defender Noussair Mazraoui. The football player moved to the Munich club from Ajax as a free agent. The German champions won the fight for the player against Milan, Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund. The choice of the 24-year-old Moroccan shows that he is aiming for trophies. Also, based on online betting site Canada platforms, bookmakers gave advantage to Bayern in the battle for Mazraoui.
This is a good transfer for Bayern, especially considering that the Germans are unhappy with Benjamin Pavard. The Frenchman spent his first season at the Munich club at a decent level. For 2 seasons of the German championship, Pavard made only one assist. This is very little for a flank defender.
In the person of Mazraoui, Bayern got a quality fullback, and even for free. The Moroccan will be a good competitor for Pavard. Perhaps the Frenchman will leave Bayern altogether. The Munich team has a young Josip Stanisic at the right-back position. The Croatian has been in the club’s system for 5 years and is gradually being introduced into the Bundesliga. He wants his chance too.
Matthijs de Light
Another reinforcement of the champion’s defence is Matthijs de Ligt. The Dutchman moved to Bayern from Juventus for 67 million euros. This is the second most expensive transfer in the history of the Munich club. Süle left the German champions, and they are not very satisfied with the quality of Dayot Upamecano’s play. Therefore, it was necessary to find a quality defender to pair with Lucas Hernandez.
Did Bayern overpay for the Dutchman? More likely no than yes. Last season, de Ligt averaged 1.41 interceptions per match and won 68.1% of aerial combats. In addition, he fouls little (1.08 fouls on average per match) and almost never loses the ball (0.3 losses on average per 90 minutes). These are good numbers for a 22-year-old centre-back who still has plenty of time to develop and improve. However, de Ligt is not very good at launching attacks. This will have to be worked on.
Ryan Gravenberch
Ryan Gravenberch from Ajax came to the centre of midfield to Munich. The transfer amount was 18.5 million euros. Everything is clear here – the 20-year-old Dutchman should replace Marcel Sabitzer, who is not doing well. Last season, the midfielder spent only 36 minutes on the field on average per match. This is the worst record in his career. The Austrian loses the competition to both Leon Goretzka and Joshua Kimmich. With the arrival of Gravenberch, the situation for him will become even more complicated.
Sadio Mane
And, of course, Sadio Mane. This is one of the most high-profile transfers of the summer, and Bayern made it. The team bought the player from Liverpool for 32 million euros. For the 30-year-old winger, this is a good opportunity to get a new challenge, as he wanted, to stay at a high level and continue to fight for trophies. For Bayern, this is a great deal both in terms of image and in terms of sports. The signing of a world-class star will further increase the popularity of Bayern and the entire Bundesliga.
It is likely that with the departure of Lewandowski, the performance of the Munich team will decrease. But the loss of Lewandowski should not be a disaster. Again, there is Mane who can play as a centre-forward. There is Serge Gnabry, Leroy Sane and Kingsley Coman. The Bundesliga’s best assistant, Thomas Müller, is playing for Bayern, which means there shouldn’t be any big problems with goals. The Munich club also signed 17-year-old Rennes striker Mathys Tel for 20 million euros. But this is a deal for the long term, most likely.