The retirement of Philipp Lahm undeniably leaves a massive hole in the Bayern defence. The Bavarians will definitely look for a proper replacement in the summer transfer window, as they gear up for their upcoming season.
While Bayern already have in-house options such as Joshua Kimmich or Sebastian Rudy, Carlo Ancelotti might prefer someone else from the market. Some would say the task of replacing one of Bayern’s best ever players is close to impossible, however, there are many players who have the credibility to do so in the long run.
In this article, we will speak about three players Bayern should go for, in order to replace the German world champion.
3. Matteo Darmian
The Italian fullback hasn’t really settled well at Manchester United after arriving at the club in 2015 from Torino for a fee of 18 million euros.
He was touted as Italy’s best fullback, by former Inter defender Marco Materazzi. Darmian is a complete defender, he can both run with the ball at his feet and can also help out his team in defence.
He has the ability start off a counter attack by finding the right pass, much like the Dortmund defender, Raphael Guerreiro, which can be a boon for Bayern as they are so used to catching opposition on the break.
Darmian’s versatility is his ultimate selling point, having the ability to play not only as a right wingback but also a left wingback as well. He can also act as a winger if needed.
While he isn’t shy of making tackles either, as he made the most tackles per game across Europe’s top five leagues in the 2012-13 season.
Carlo Ancelotti was reportedly interested in the services of his compatriot when he took the Bayern job, and that could turn into something concrete this summer. The former Torino defender has featured in just 18 games this season and it’s almost needless to say that he found it difficult to get used to Jose Mourinho’s system at Manchester United.
It is looking increasingly likely that he’ll seek pastures new, this upcoming summer with Bayern being a perfect option for the 27-year-old.
2. Benjamin Henrichs
Henrichs is another bright young talent coming out from the youth systems in Leverkusen. At just 19 years of age, Henrichs is already one of Leverkusen’s top young assets. It has been a breakthrough season for the young defender as he featured in 29 games this season.
He was one of Roger Schmidt’s favourite players when he was still the coach of Leverkusen.
Technically sound, Henrichs is an extremely cool customer in defence. His maturity at the age of 19 is certainly impressive. He can play anywhere from right wing back to midfield, which makes him a handy player for any team.
Henrichs is also very strong on tackles and his marking is perhaps his strongest point in defending.
Already a German International at such a young age, there’s no doubt that Henrichs fits the mould perfectly in replacing Philip Lahm. However, it won’t be guaranteed that he will receive constant first team opportunities, with Joshua Kimmich also in the fold.
1. Hector Bellerin
One of Europe’s most sought after players, Hector Bellerin is a target for almost every other big clubs in Europe. The 21-year-old is regarded as one of Europe’s best fullbacks and is perhaps the fastest defender as well.
Bellerin is an extremely good defender, and his pace makes him one of the hottest assets for Arsenal. He can find the perfect pass to open up the opposition or he can just wreck through the opposition defence, with his marauding runs.
The 21-year-old is also very good on the ball and averages a passing accuracy of 85%! He created 27 chances for Arsenal this season, which is actually quite good for a defender.
However, Bellerin has just signed a long-term contract with Arsenal and there’s little sign that the Gunner would want to let him go. But with Arsenal’s constant failures in finding a silverware, Bellerin might be tempted for a move away from the Emirates. Although if he does leave, he’d probably cost an exorbitant fee.
