Thomas Tuchel would still like FC Bayern Munich to have a defensive midfielder who sees his main task in protecting his own goal and defending.
The German soccer record champions do not have “such a player type” in their squad, the coach emphasized in Singapore. According to Tuchel, national players Joshua Kimmich (28) and Leon Goretzka (28), newcomer Konrad Laimer (26) and Ryan Gravenberch (21) are similar in their attacking style of play.
Tuchel wants a clearer and a stabilizer
“We’re not looking desperately,” said Tuchel before the end of the Munich trip to Asia with the friendly against Liverpool. The 49-year-old would have liked a real clearer and stabilizer like Declan Rice (24). However, the English international switched from West Ham United to Arsenal for over 100 million euros within the Premier League.
“We trust our players who are under contract. We trust their qualities,” assured Tuchel in his remarks. “But if there’s a chance, we’re open. There are few players who can strengthen us. We’re relaxed.” Sometimes opportunities suddenly arise during a transfer period, he said.
The current Bayern quartet in midfield love to “act between the penalty areas,” as Tuchel explained: “We don’t have a defensive six that thinks more about protecting the back zone.” Gravenberch is “a very good dribbler”, Goretzka “a very physical player”, Laimer “a ball hunter” and Kimmich “our strategist who wants to do everything and can do everything”. But it is not in Kimmich’s DNA to be a purely defensive six, said Tuchel.
No dispute with Hoeneß
But the Bayern coach also said: “Can we win football games without a defensive six? Yes, of course. And in that respect it’s our job to find solutions.”
In the Munich transfer committee, a defensive six is not seen as a priority. Honorary President Uli Hoeneß had recently emphasized, also with a view to Laimer, who was brought in free of charge from RB Leipzig, that “the discussion about the six” did not arise for him at all.
Tuchel did not want a dispute with Hoeneß to arise from this in Singapore. “We discuss all opinions in our transfer group. It’s not necessary that we always agree. It’s important that you know my point of view,” said the coach.
