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After the retirement of Xabi Alonso and Philipp Lahm, Bayern Munich manager Carlo Ancelotti was expected to act quickly this summer. This window also saw the likes of Douglas Costa and Mehdi Benatia depart from the club to Italian Giants Juventus and AS Roma respectively.
The Italian Manager has already acquired the signatures of Kingsley Coman, Niklas Sule, Corentin Tolisso, Sebastian Rudy on permanent basis and James Rodriguez in a two-year loan deal. Serge Gnabry was another young German player signed from Werder Bremen but he was quickly loaned out to TSG Hoffenheim for regular game time.
Ancelotti will have selection headaches ahead of his second season at Allianz Arena. In this piece we shall look at Bayern Munich's possible starting lineup against Bayer Leverkusen in the opening game of the new Bundesliga campaign.
GK: Manuel Neuer
After being announced as the new Bavarian skipper, Manuel Neuer will remain as Bayern Munich's number one next season and will be looking to add another golden glove to his personal trophy cabinet. Arguably the best sweeper-keeper in the world at the moment, Neuer's reflexes and ability to come off the line make him indispensable. Given the current calibre of Neuer, I don't see the change in goalkeeping department anytime soon.
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Sven Ulreich will play as deputy to German's number one. However, Neuer will be wary of Ulreich's high potential to challenge him for the spot between the sticks.
RB: Joshua Kimmich
Kimmich's exquisite talent and ability to perform at the highest level was identified by former manager Pep Guardiola who brought him to Allianz Arena from RP Leipzig in 2015. The 22-year will be the clubs first choice right-back this season according to Bayern's CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. Even though Kimmich has been mainly used in midfield over the last few years, he remains an incredible athlete and one who could attack and defend.
Philipp Lahm's retirement has left Kimmich to fill in a huge void the coming season. The young German's versatility to play anywhere around the defence and midfield gives Ancelotti an option to operate Kimmich at right back.
CB: Jerome Boateng
After an injury hit campgain, Boateng will try and impress his current boss. Boateng played as the central pivot in Pep Guadriola and Jupp Heynckes's 4-men defence and is all but certain to regain his place there at the start of next season. The German will be the most experienced Bavarian at the back after the departure of club legend Philipp Lahm.
The only worry will be his injuries which he has suffered over the last two seasons. Boateng made only 13 Bundesliga appearances last season and 14 League appearances during 2015/16 Bundesliga winning campaign. With the signing of Niklas Sule, Boateng's position is not sturdy at the back.
CB: Mats Hummels
The German has been one of the finest centre backs in the world in the last 3-4 years. His tough tackling and never-say-die attitude has made him a firm favourite at Allianz Arena. The 28-year-old is accustomed to play possession football and maintain a high defensive line. He has played on left side of the central defence for some years now, but Ancelotti would be hoping he would be able to switch to the other side with utmost ease.
LB: David Alaba
At left back, its likely Carlo Ancelotti will prefer David Alaba. The Austrian has had another great season and continues to be an influence in the team. His leadership on the field, coupled with the positional play, is amongst the best in Germany and helped the Bavaria club win the league last season.
Possessing all the required attributes, Alaba will be one of the more senior members of the squad and hence, vital to Bayern's future in the left side of the defence. Alaba has scored 4 and set up 5 goals last season which makes him one of the feared attacking full-backs in the world right now.
CM: Arturo Vidal
Arturo Vidal has the perfect combination of speed, defensive contribution and attacking play. The Chilean is an obvious starter for the team given his ability to change the course of game with the blink of an eye. His passing from deep is outstanding and he links up exceptionally well with his forwards.
Some might argue that he is an attacking midfielder, however, he does excel in deep-lying playmaker role, which is what many teams deploy these days. If Arturo Vidal adjusts well to the new role, then Bayern have a potentially threatening midfield combination in the ranks.
CM: Corentin Tolisso
Tolisso is one of the most versatile players as of now; he can play anywhere in the midfield. He is powerful and determined on the pitch, a thorough professional and a complete team player. The French International is a midfield tool. His ability to hold on to the ball and range of passes he possess makes him one of the exciting midfielders right now, with plenty of room for improvement still available.
When his passes come off, they are an absolute delight to watch and his finishing is clinical too. With the influx of new attacking players, exciting times beckon for the supremely talented French International.
CAM: Thiago Alcantara
Thiago Alcantara has impressed in his time at Allianz Arena since making the switch from Barcelona to Bayern Munich.
He has been in prolific goalscoring form of late and a crucial piece in Bayern's success. Alcantara has brought the spark which he was expected to bring into Bayern's midfield. He is not afraid to have a crack at goal from distance, likes to cross the ball into the box, does many layoffs and loves to indulge in tackles.
LW: James Rodriguez
There is no introduction needed for James Rodriguez. For the 2014 World Cup Golden ball winner, things did not work out at Real Madrid. In the recent years, Frank Ribery has struggled for fitness and after Douglas Costa's departure, signing the Colombian made complete sense.
An all-round attacker, managers usually hand him a free ticket to roam and cause havoc across the pitch. His intelligent runs on and off the ball gels the whole team together. For any football fan, Rodriguez is a joy to watch. His bursts of acceleration leaves defenders biting the dust and he sets up his teammates with accurate, whipped crosses. Its only a matter of time before Rodriguez gets used to Bundesliga and style of play adapted by the Bavarians.
RW: Arjen Robben
Age does not matter for Arjen Robben. At the age of 34, the Dutch International still eases his way past the defenders. His technical ability along with speed forces the defenders to foul consistently just to stop him. He also track backs and does the defensive side of the game.
Robben is a world class player who has the ability to turn the game single-handedly. His speed and dribbles could make the difference in a tight match and his goals have won Bayern many matches.
ST: Robert Lewandowski
The Polish striker is one of the deadliest attackers in the World. Lewandowski is a natural goalscorer and has a proven record in European football. His four goals against Real Madrid as a Dortmund player stands out the most along with five goals in nine minutes against Wolfsburg.
The Bavarian is a perfect number 9. Fast, tall and strong, Lewandowski has broken several records at Dortmund and Munich.
