Report: Bayern Munich could sell Matthijs de Ligt due to problems with Tuchel.

Tz (via @iMiaSanMia) reports that Thomas Tuchel is prepared to force Bayern Munich to sell Matthijs de Ligt come summertime. Although the 24-year-old Dutchman only joined from Juventus in 2022, it appears the coach wants a new defensive coordinator starting next summer. Ronald Araújo, a defender for FC Barcelona, is the coach’s top choice.

What is this defensive leader, exactly? This in-depth analysis by Tz suggests that in addition to performing regular defensive tasks, the player in question must be in charge of organizing the defense. De Ligt fits that role perfectly, but Tuchel doesn’t seem to be impressed with the Dutchman’s ability to play vertical passes from the back.

This is the reason why Matthijs de Ligt has had difficulty getting into the game this season and why Bayern Munich is concentrating on signing a new defender. The Dutchman occasionally irritated his teammates by criticizing the team in media interviews in the past, according to the same Tz story. This is an odd admission as De Ligt has never said anything that went too far.

Alphonso Davies is presently considering offers from Real Madrid, and Tuchel is also after Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka, so it appears that Bayern Munich will have a lot of squad turnover in the summer. Unless Christoph Freund, the sporting director, is up to the challenge of navigating these rough waters, 2024–2025 might prove to be a more difficult season than this one.