The Bundesliga club have retooled enough to give England’s captain a decent chance of winning an elusive first medal
Harry Kane might actually be the unluckiest footballer in known history. What else is the England captain supposed to do to win his first trophy?
Last year, he had arguably his best season in recent memory, came close to smashing Robert Lewandowski’s Bundesliga scoring record, and did everything he possibly could to drag the Bavarians to a league title, only to see the rest of the team collapse around him.
He arrived at Euro 2024 exhausted and unfit, but still found the net three times and came within an expansive Spain counter-attack of at least forcing extra-time in the final. Had he been fit and firing, England would have been better poised to win the whole thing. But he has saved his country so many times and it’s unfortunate that he simply didn’t have the legs to do so this time.
Soon begins another season to chase a medal, then. And, just a few weeks into the transfer window, it’s a case of so far so good for Bayern. There can be no guarantee that the trophies will flow but the Bavarians are certainly giving off the right signals so far.
There remains the threat of big names leaving Bayern but Vincent Kompany will undoubtedly be confident that 2025 can be their year. The year that Kane finally ends his trophy curse.
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GettyCatching Bayer Leverkusen
Bayer Leverkusen were deserved Bundesliga winners last year. For all of the criticism Bayern came under for their subpar season – some of it deserved – nothing short of a perfect campaign would have seen them pip Xabi Alonso’s side to the title. He oversaw one of the great football seasons in recent history, coming within one game of an undefeated treble-winning campaign.
All of the pieces of a dominant side were there. Leverkusen were solid defensively – conceding 24 goals in the league all season. But they were devastating at the other end too, finding the net 89 times in 34 games. They accrued 90 points, and consistently found the net in the dying minutes.
This was a side that was well-drilled, stuck to its exciting playing style, and always believed that it could find the net – right up until the last second. Asking Bayern to keep up with that pace – Kane or not – would’ve be frankly unreasonable.
Closing the gap this season is the big challenge.
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Getty ImagesProblem areas
So, how do Bayern do it? For one, they must hope that Leverkusen drop off in some way. A sceptic might say that the number of late goals that the reigning champions provided last season was simply unsustainable. If a few of those don’t go in this campaign, they could certainly be more catchable. Champions League football will undoubtedly add further stress to their schedule – which can only be a good thing for Bayern.
But they really have to look inward here. Kompany has an interesting squad to work with, old in some areas and concerningly youthful in others. The failings of Dayot Upamecano at centre-back, Alphonso Davies at left-back and a glut of players in central midfield leaves the Bavarians needing solutions.
They could also use an extra attacking player to provide some creative spark when Kane and Jamal Musiala are unable to carry all of the load. And perhaps more broadly, this squad needs to be deeper, younger, and armed with new ideas. Bayern have gone stale.
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Getty ImagesOlise arrives
Crystal Palace must have known that they were going to lose Michael Olise. Oliver Glasner had worked wonders with the French talent at the end of last season – who always seemed to be destined for a big move. Still, it would have been nice to see the winger remain at Palace for at least one more year, if only to see how he and Eberechi Eze could perform together over the course of a full season.
But when the Bavarians came in for him, Palace couldn’t say no. The whole process moved quickly, especially considering most of the football world’s attention was firmly on Euro 2024. Kompany finished the deal all the same, bringing the promising Frenchman to Germany in what is an admittedly shrewd next step in his career. How he fits into the side remains to be seen. Jamal Musiala is the centrepiece of the Bavarian attack, and tends to operate in similar areas.
That’s arguably a good problem for Kompany to have, though. Olise, after all, is still just 22, and figures to lead the next era of this Bavarian attack.
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GettyPalhinha gets his move
Finally. Joao Palhinha has wanted to be a Bayern player for almost a year now. He almost was in July 2023. The player had already flown to Munich and undergone his medical before Fulham called the deal off. It was messy, with the London club insisting on having a replacement lined up before their Portuguese midfielder put pen to paper in Germany.
But after a deal for Tottenham’s Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg fell through, Fulham demanded that Palhinha return. He swiftly signed a new deal at Craven Cottage, pledging his future to the club until 2028. Rumours of a move didn’t relent, however, and there was always a sense that the right bid could still lure him overseas.
Palhinha went about the 2023-24 season like a pro. He won the most tackles in the Premier League, and anchored a solid Fulham side that managed a respectable 13th-placed finish. Bayern, meanwhile, struggled without a specialist to anchor then-manager Thomas Tuchel’s midfield. Now – although they have a different manager – they finally have the right man for the job.
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GettyWho’s next?
We haven’t even mentioned the shrewd signing of Stuttgart defender Hiroki Ito – and there could be more to come. The rumour mill continues to churn in the Bundesliga, as Bayern are looking to retool to push towards the top of the table again. The latest to be linked is Jonathan Tah.
Bayern, of course, are almost obligated to pinch at least one crucial player from their nearest rival for the title every year. And in the Leverkusen and Germany centre-back, they have found their man. Tah was always a talent, but developed into a borderline superstar under Alonso last season. And although he is 28, his game has never been reliant on athleticism. He should, in theory, age as a fine compliment to the rest of the Bavarian defence.
Perhaps the most exciting targets, though, are the ones in forward areas. Xavi Simons lit up Euro 2024, establishing himself as the kind of dynamic attacking force that he was always projected to be. Still, it seems that it won’t be enough to earn him a starting spot at PSG – who have reportedly made him available this summer for potential suitors. Bayern are said to be among them.
Dani Olmo is also a possibility. The RB Leipzig man was arguably the player of the tournament for Spain at the Euros, and he fits the Bavarian model of top-talent pinching. Florian Wirtz rumours continue to crop up on the back pages, but it seems unlikely that he’d leave Leverkusen – especially after enjoying the best season of his career.
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(C)Getty ImagesWho might leave?
Still, for all of the good news, there remains a sense that major change could be underway for the German side. Matthijs de Ligt already has one foot out of the door – and could well move to Manchester United. The same goes for Kingsley Coman, Serge Gnabry, Joshua Kimmich and Kim Min-jae.
Some of those players are reaching the end of their careers – and this could be the last summer for the Bavarians to get any sort of resale value for them. Indeed, perhaps only Coman and Kimmich are sure-fire impact players. Still, this is a question of squad depth, and having the option to switch things up all over the pitch.
The biggest conundrum, though, might be Davies. He has been linked with Real Madrid for some time, and after failing to reach an agreement on a new contract, there remains the possibility that he could either leave this summer for a small fee or depart on a free next year.
It all points being an interesting rest of the summer in Bavaria. For all of the good things that director of sport Max Eberl and his colleagues have pieced together, there remains an ominous air that the squad will need further reshaping.
Kane might be surrounded by some new, talented team-mates to reignite his trophy hopes, but the loss of key players elsewhere will need to be addressed urgently to avoid another trophyless disaster of a season.
Source goal.com
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