Bayern squad discussion: Freund leaves back door open for winter transfers | OneFootball

FC Bayern’s 3-1 defeat at FC Arsenal has sparked a debate that had actually died down in Munich: Is the squad really enough to compete in all competitions – and above all to keep up with the absolute top teams in Europe? While those responsible at the record champions have recently laid down a clear line, sporting director Christoph Freund is now opening the door to possible winter transfers.

Munich’s start to the season was so dominant that the criticism of the squad was almost completely silenced for a while. But one evening at the Emirates Stadium was enough to raise old questions anew. The scene after the break in particular, when Arsenal substituted two absolute top players in Gabriel Martinelli and Noni Madueke – and both jokers scored – became a symbol of the current situation.

Vincent Kompany only had Nicolas Jackson at his disposal in attack, and the fact that the Senegalese was hardly able to provide any impetus was symptomatic of the structural differences between the two teams.

Arsenal’s bench as a mirror of the European top flight

Of course, Bayern were missing two of their most important attacking players in London in Luis Díaz (suspension) and Jamal Musiala (recovery training), but Arsenal were also without captain Martin Ödegaard and goalscorer Viktor Gyökeres – and still had a bench that was second to none in the Champions League.

Ex-Bayern professional Markus Babbel put it in a nutshell: Arsenal had „two top-class teams“, a squad foundation that even Real Madrid or Barcelona did not have in such breadth. It was precisely this power that was on show against FC Bayern – and burned itself into Munich’s memory.

Freund: Winter transfers „not planned, but never ruled out“

photo: IMAGO

There was a consensus at the club right up until the end: there would be no new winter signings. They were relying on internal solutions and the return of important players. Musiala, Ito and Alphonso Davies are seen internally as real reinforcements who should significantly change the team’s profile.

But Christoph Freund is now choosing different words – much more cautious, much more open: „In soccer, we have learned to never completely rule out anything, but it is not planned,“ said the sporting director on Sky.

A sentence that sticks, because it signals that Bayern is observing the market. And Bayern knows that a winter without departures will only remain quiet if all key players remain fit.

What happens when players leave the club?

The situation will be particularly interesting if there is any movement on the departures side in January. Several players – including reserves such as Sacha Boey and Raphael Guerreiro – are on the fence or are considered candidates for a move. If a player wants to leave, the record champions could have to react, whether planned or not.

The starting position is clear: Bayern do not see any acute need for action. Adding players in the winter is still not a strategy – but it is no longer an option that can be categorically ruled out.