Position switch for Germany: Nagelsmann plans Kimmich to drop deeper | OneFootball

The discussion about Joshua Kimmich's best position seems to be taking another turn. According to BILD, national coach Julian Nagelsmann plans to position the Bayern star as a right-back again in the international match against Luxembourg on Friday evening (8:45 PM, ARD).

This would surprisingly revise the national coach's decision from the end of July to permanently place Kimmich in the central midfield role – at least temporarily. According to information from BILD, Kimmich has already been training the entire week on the right defensive side.

In the summer, Nagelsmann had emphasized that Kimmich's future in the national team lay in central midfield: “As of now, we will move Josh back to the central midfield. If the usual right-back candidates completely fail – which I do not expect – then this could change.”

This exact scenario now seems to have occurred. In the 0:2 loss in Slovakia, neither debutant Nnamdi Collins nor Maximilian Mittelstädt impressed on the defensive flank. Both were not nominated for the Luxembourg match. Instead, Ridle Baku returns after a four-year break.

Nagelsmann is seeking stability on the right side – and Kimmich could once again become the emergency solution with world-class level. After all, the 30-year-old played the position outstandingly during Toni Kroos's return in spring 2024. Many experts already consider him the best right-back in the world.

New Competition in Midfield, Old Strengths on the Right

There are also personnel reasons for the repositioning: There is an oversupply in central midfield. With Leon Goretzka, Aleksandar Pavlovic, Angelo Stiller, and Felix Nmecha, there are several options available that Nagelsmann wants to test.

Moreover, against the defensively expected opponent Luxembourg, Kimmich could fully exploit his offensive strength – similar to his time under Nagelsmann at Bayern, when he often moved from the flank to the center and directed the game from there.

Whether this “role reversal of the role reversal” will remain permanent, however, remains to be seen. If the experiment succeeds, the national coach could plan with Kimmich as a right-back again, also with a view to the 2026 World Cup.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.