Bayern Munich squad preview 2024/25: Goalkeeper and Defense

With less than a week to go in the current transfer window, we preview Bayern Munich’s 2024/25 squad in a three-part series starting with goalkeeper and defense

With less than a week to go in the current transfer window, we preview Bayern Munich’s 2024/25 squad in a three-part

After finishing last season without any trophies for the first time in 12 years, Bayern Munich chiefs unsurprisingly decided to make major changes to the squad ahead of the 2024/25 season. With less than a week left in the transfer window, the squad overhaul hasn’t quite gone according to plan. However, Bayern still managed to make some significant personnel changes to the squad, in terms of both incoming and outgoing players.

With one matchday of the new season having been completed and the transfer window winding down, let us focus on what may be Vincent Kompany’s preferred starting XI and supporting cast. We kick off this three-part series with a look at the goalkeeper and the defense.

Goalkeeper

Despite recently announcing his retirement from international football, Manuel Neuer is indisputably Bayern’s number one choice in goal. Last season Neuer had a few spills along the way, none more regrettable than in the Champions League against eventual winners Real Madrid.

Nonetheless, the 38-year-old sweeper keeper bounced back from the Champions League disappointment to have an outstanding Euro 2024, despite once again being halted at the semi-final stage by the eventual winners, Spain.

Neuer is currently under contract with Bayern for just the current season. In what may very well be his last season with Rekordmeister, fans should not be surprised to see Neuer at his best for one more trophy-laden season.

Backing up Neuer will be the ever-reliable 36-year-old Sven Ulreich. Like Neuer, his current contract expires 30 June 2025.

Full-backs

Right-back

With the departure of Noussair Mazraoui to Manchester United and injury to Josip Stanisic, Sacha Boey has the perfect opportunity to cement his place as Bayern’s first choice right-back. Since Stanisic not expected back until sometime in October, Boey’s main competition for a starting spot until then would be Joshua Kimmich. However, with Coach Vincent Kompany and Kimmich both seeing eye to eye about Kimmich playing in midfield, Boey will have the chance to impress his new coach. Whilst the 23-year-old Frenchman provides a distinct attacking thrust as an overlapping wing-back, he needs to show improvement on the defensive end. In the season-opening 3-2 win against Wolfsburg both aspects of Boey’s game were on display. In the first half he brilliantly set up Jamal Musiala for Bayern’s opening goal, but soon after the start of the second half Wolfsburg were awarded a penalty following his clumsy challenge.

When Stanisic returns to action, he will be a more than capable alternative to Boey. The 24-year-old Croatian international spent last season on loan at Leverkusen and was a major contributor to Leverkusen’s amazing league and cup double triumph. He may not have the attacking flare of Boey, but he is a solid right-back and is also comfortable in a back-three formation.

While Stanisic remains out of action, Konrad Laimer is also an option at right-back. The 27-year-old Austrian is primarily a box-to-box midfielder, but last season he gave some impressive performances at right-back when asked to play in that position. Bayern are clearly well-stacked in the right-back department, with Sacha Boey currently the preferred option.

Left-back

On the left side of the back four, the first choice is also clear, but ironically with a degree of uncertainty as to for how long. Alphonso Davies is Kompany’s first-choice at left-back. The coach considers Davies to be a key player this season. However, with Davies now in the final 12 months of his contract and having not accepted Bayern’s latest offer for a contract extension, the situation is precariously poised. It’s no secret that Real Madrid have their eyes on the Canadian international and, understandably, would prefer to get him on their terms.

Central Defense

Similarly to much of the latter half of last season, the central defensive department is currently an area of concern. When the news broke that a decision was taken to sell Matthijs de Ligt thousands of fans signed a petition in a show of objection. In the eyes of many fans there was no justification to part ways with the team’s best defender regardless of his wages and injury concerns. Nonetheless, the 25-year-old Dutch international was recently sold to Manchester United at a loss.

The left-footed Japanese international center-back Hiroki Ito was acquired from Stuttgart to fill the void left by de ligt’s departure and also add more balance to the left-side of the defense. However, with Ito picking up an injury during a pre-season friendly, fans will have to wait until his return before drawing any conclusions. He isn’t expected to return to action until October for the earliest.

With Ito unavailable, Bayern are once again relying on the pairing of Kim Min-jae and Dayot Upamecano. This duo played together throughout most of the first half of last season. However, during the second half of the season both players lost form and were replaced in the starting lineup by Matthijs de Ligt and Eric Dier. With Dier having just been acquired from Tottenham in January it was both a pleasant surprise and a relief to see the Englishman working so well in tandem with the Dutchman

With Min-jae, Upamecano, and Dier being the only fit senior center-backs currently available, a late move in the current transfer window for someone like Jonathan Tah can’t be ruled out.