Bundesliga
Tuchel is the transfer prankster: Dier sounds “English”
Eric Dier is still under contract with Tottenham Hotspur. photo
© Luca Bruno/AP/dpa
FC Bayern’s mediocre 1-1 draw in the test against Basel is becoming a side issue, even if some young people are making their mark. The coach, sports director and captain are then “drilled” about other things.
And the 50-year-old then quickly asked the inquisitive reporters in the catacombs of Basel’s St. Jakob Park: “Have you asked the sports director yet?” But Christoph Freund also didn’t want to contribute anything concrete to the clarification. “I know the player,” said the sports director about Dier: “But there is nothing else to say at the moment.” And this despite the fact that, at least according to information from the TV channel Sky, there is already an oral agreement between FC Bayern and the long-time English international and former teammate of striker Harry Kane at Tottenham Hotspur.
They lack match practice
“We are not taking part in speculation,” said Freund, adding more generally: “It is a fact that we are in contact with some players and are having some discussions.” Dier, who can be used in defensive midfield and defense, would of course be more of a B solution for a wider squad in Munich. At Tottenham, the soon-to-be 30-year-old commutes between the bench and the stands. He completely lacks match practice.
Dier was again not in the squad for Tottenham’s FA Cup game against Burnley FC. “He’s injured,” coach Ange Postecoglou explained after the game and was clueless about the sale of Dier: “That’s not on my radar.” A deal between the two clubs in the lower single-digit million range would at least not pose a financial risk for Bayern. Tuchel also said this in Basel: “We are looking at a level that will help us. That’s why it’s very difficult.” Quality, personality, experience – these are the specifications.
On the one hand, Tuchel appeared to be emphatically relaxed, but also remarked when asked about Munich’s transfer schedule: “It has already been exceeded, the wish was 2.1.” But early facts are particularly difficult to establish in the complicated winter transfer period: “There are a lot of good clubs still in the Champions League and have their own goals.”
Start of the second half of the season against Hoffenheim
The managers around Manuel Neuer are also paying close attention to what is happening. “You know that we had a small squad in some cases,” said the captain: “I know that those in charge are sounding out the market and seeing whether the right thing is there for us.”
The need also became apparent in the only test match before the Bundesliga continuation on Friday against TSG Hoffenheim. Joshua Kimmich had to help out at right back in the absence of Konrad Laimer (knee problems). Midfield colleague Leon Goretzka came on as a central defender after the break. “If you look at our line-up today, there is actually no shortage of defensive midfield,” said Tuchel meaningfully.
Things are stuck at the back, even if against Basel for once things didn’t work, especially at the front. “We weren’t greedy enough in the box,” said Tuchel. After Juan Gauto (59th) fell behind, it was the 18-year-old Noël Aséko Nkili (70th) who scored to make it 1-1. Lovro Zvonarek, also 18, shot at the post and missed the winning goal (84th).
The young talent brought in energy, praised Tuchel. But “just throwing the boys in” is not a solution to the high goals for the season in Munich. “Of course we want to keep the pressure on Leverkusen. We want to be at the top of the table,” announced Tuchel. And for this, the coach demands internationally proven squad reinforcements. So more like guys like Eric Dier.