FC Bayern made targeted and selective additions to its roster this summer. Club officials are satisfied with the current makeup of the squad. Nevertheless, they’re always keeping their eyes open, as a lucrative opportunity could arise at any time.
For the winter transfer window, for example, Bayern’s management isn’t categorically ruling out the possibility of making a move on the offensive side. A backup for Luis Diaz is a possibility, provided an interesting opportunity arises on the transfer market.
Otherwise, they’re already thinking ahead. The summer of 2027 may seem far off, but from a planning perspective, it isn’t. Things are set to change in goal; Bayern is looking for a new backup and has several candidates in mind.
Van der Vaart: FC Bayern Should Sign the Dutch Star
Now, however, the record champions have received a transfer recommendation for a completely different position—namely, central midfield—from Rafael van der Vaart, the former playmaker for Hamburger SV.
On the BILD soccer podcast “Phrasenmäher,” van der Vaart explained who he’s referring to: “Frenkie de Jong from FC Barcelona. With all due respect, I’d say that Joshua Kimmich’s time might eventually be coming to an end, and Frenkie would make Bayern even better—even playing alongside Kimmich.”
However, the reality is that de Jong has struggled with injuries time and again, especially in recent months. He has rarely found his rhythm. As a result, he hasn’t seen any action yet this season.
On top of that, given his injury history and the fact that he’s now 29, de Jong isn’t significantly younger than Kimmich. So the argument that he’s a potential long-term prospect—even for the “post-Kimmich” era—isn’t all that strong.
At the moment, there are no indications anyway that anything might be happening in central midfield.