As the summer transfer window approaches, Bayern Munich’s murderer’s row is building, with calls for Harry Kane to be sold.
“Dietmar Hamann believes the Bavarians should consider selling Harry Kane after failing to win any trophies this season,” German outlet Bayern Strikes reported on Wednesday (Aug. 13).
German Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich had a disappointing year in 2023-2024, finishing the season without a trophy for the first time in 12 years since the 2011-2012 season.
They lost the Bundesliga title, which they had held for the past 11 years, to Bayer Leverkusen. They made an early exit in the DFB-Pokal Cup, losing to third division side Saarbrücken, and were beaten 0-3 by RB Leipzig in the German Football League (DFL)-Supercup before the season opener.
After reaching the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League and raising hopes of reaching the final, the Bavarians failed to advance to the final after losing to Real Madrid by a combined score of 3-4 in the first and second leg, meaning the club’s 2023-2024 season is over.
After failing to lift a single trophy this season, the club is expected to undergo a major overhaul in the upcoming summer transfer window. Currently, various German media outlets are speculating that players who have not performed well this season, including Kim Min-jae, will be released this summer.
German media outlet ‘TZ’ reported on the 15th, “Changes are imminent at Bayern Munich. According to Bild, the number one candidate for release is already emerging, and surprisingly, Kim Min-jae’s name has appeared on the release list.” The media explained that ‘Kim Min-jae is the first player to be released.’
“Kim was signed for €50 million before the start of the season as a replacement for Luka Hernandez,” the publication said, “Named Serie A’s best defender at Napoli, he quickly took over the first-team spot after his move to Munich and missed just two games before the winter break due to a teammate’s injury.”
However, at a crucial stage of the season, Kim fell behind, while a resurgent Mats Dürich and winter signing Eric Dier enjoyed Tuchel’s trust.” ‘According to Bild, Kim’s contract runs until 2028, but he is no longer considered an untouchable,’ the report added.
In addition to Kim, French defenders Dayo Upamecano, Alfonso Davies, Noussaïr Mazrawi and Kingsley Coman have also been linked with possible departures, suggesting that Munich could undergo a major squad overhaul in the upcoming summer transfer window.
The players mentioned as possible departures, including Kim Min-jae, were among the lowest-rated players in Munich’s overall rating for the 2023-2024 season by German publication Bild.
Kim Min-jae was rated 5 alongside Upamecano in central defense. Unlike other countries, German media outlets use a rating system where one is the highest and the higher the number, the lower the rating. On the other hand, Meijer Derrikht, who competed with Kim, and Eric Dier, who joined on loan in the winter transfer window and became a permanent transfer, received a rating of 2, which is the second best overall in the squad.
Alfonso Davies also received the lowest rating of five, while Mazurawi and 토토 Coman were also on the shortlist for release, both scoring four.
Meanwhile, former Germany national team midfielder Hamann, who has played for the likes of Munich and Liverpool and currently sits on the German Sky Sports pundit panel, has called for the club to consider selling Kane.
Kane, a world-class striker, joined Munich last summer from Tottenham Hotspur in a €100 million ($146.6 million) transfer. Since joining Munich this season, he has scored 44 goals and provided 12 assists in 45 appearances across all competitions. In the league, he scored 36 goals and is on pace to become the Bundesliga’s top scorer in his debut season.
Despite the lack of trophies, Bild gave Kane the highest rating in the team in their season review, a 1. However, Hamann questioned Kane’s influence, saying, “Munich scored more goals without him last season than they do now.”
“The signing of Kane came at a price. His salary is very high, the transfer fee was over 100 million euros,” he said, adding, ‘If Mathis Töl had played up front, would Munich’s position have inevitably been worse?’ and arguing that the money spent on Kane did not pay off.
Hamann cited Kane’s ineffectiveness in big games, such as the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals against Arsenal and the quarterfinals against Real Madrid, as a reason to let him go. Kane played in both the Champions League quarterfinals and the first and second legs of the last 16, and both of his goals in those four games came from the penalty spot.
“Munich did well against Arsenal, but Kane was nowhere to be found,” says Hamann, adding, “Kane didn’t do well against Real Madrid either, and he left after 80 minutes with a bad back. To be honest, I have no sympathy for him,” he said.
“I want to ask the obvious question internally,” he said, adding, “With €100 million in the bank, would it be better for Kane to go back to England?” and recommending that the club sell Kane and make a profit on the transfer.
