Manchester City’s hopes of convincing Joshua Kimmich to join from Bayern Munich are growing after he was benched for their 3-0 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen at the weekend. As a result, his future in Germany seems increasingly unclear.
All this is promising news for Manchester City, where Pep Guardiola views him as an ideal candidate to strengthen his squad in the summer.
Kimmich’s role at Bayern was once one of complete trust as he became a leader of the team.
However, Thomas Tuchel has shown doubts over his abilities in midfield and left him out of Saturday’s top-of-the-table clash at Leverkusen, despite the fact he had overcome a shoulder problem that had kept him on the sidelines previously.
The German international came on in the second half but was unable to stop his side from crashing to a heavy loss and there is a feeling among some sources in Germany that he will leave the club if Tuchel remains in charge.
The Bayern Munich boss continues to be under pressure as Munich now trail Leverkusen by five points at the top of the table.
Joshua Kimmich Contracted To Bayern Till 2025
Kimmich (29) is contracted to Bayern until 2025, but Manchester City should be in the strongest position to land him if he pushes for a move at the end of the season.
It is understood the player would be interested in a switch to the Premier League champions if he does move on.
Liverpool also admire Kimmich but with fellow German Jurgen Klopp leaving the club this could hinder their hopes of progressing a deal. Barcelona have also been strongly linked as they look for the next Sergio Busquets but are not in a financial position as strong as City.
City In The Best Financial Position To Sign Kimmich
The Premier League champions currently have the opportunity to make big moves in the summer window without much concern over financial issues. There have been headlines around a pending verdict for 115 alleged breaches but that does not impact them for the next window.
Sources indicate that City are “well set-up” following profits made in recent times and, while there is the chance that past problems cause new issues down the line, the current rules around Premier League Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) mean they are free to spend in the summer – and Kimmich is one of the men in their sights.
City looked into mega-deals for Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham last year and also continue to have an eye on long-term target Lucas Paqueta.
Add Sportslens to your Google News Feed!
