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Despite suffering a shock 4-2 thrashing at the hands of unfancied VFL Bochum on Saturday, Bayern Munich are still sitting pretty at the top of the Bundesliga table on 52 points.
Julian Nagelsmann's side currently hold a comfortable six-point advantage over second-placed Borussia Dortmund after 24 league fixtures. The Bavarian giants have also been handed a favorable Champions League Round-of-16 tie against RB Salzburg.
Nonetheless, there have been a few warning signs for the German side in recent weeks. They suffered the worst cup defeat in club history after going down 5-0 against Borussia Monchengladbach in late October. Although they have lost only four league games, two of those defeats have come in their last five fixtures.
Is Bayern Munich's attack covering their flaws at the back?
Bayern Munich's attacking prowess, led by the formidable Robert Lewandowski, is well-documented. However, there are signs that Nagelsmann's attackers are bailing out their defensive and midfield teammates. The Bavarian side conceded twice against Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig recently and had to rely on outscoring their opponents to claim wins.
Unfortunately for Bayern fans, the club's reluctance to spend big in recent seasons is also no secret. The Bavarians also spent over £50million last summer to sign Dayot Upamecano and Marcel Sabitzer. Hence, it wasn't a surprise to see them remain inactive in the winter window. On that note, let’s take a look at five players who Bayern Munich could have explored deals for in January.
#5 Denis Zakaria
Bayern Munich do appear thin in the middle of the park. Corentin Tolisso is expected to leave the club in the summer while Leon Goretzka has battled fitness issues this season. Marcel Sabitzer has failed to settle in and been bogged down by injuries of his own.
The defending champions had the option of signing a familiar foe in Borussia Monchengladbach's Denis Zakaria, whose contract with the club was set to expire in the summer. However, Juventus swooped in to acquire the Swiss defensive midfielder in a cut-price deal, shelling out just £7million for his services.
#4 Callum Hudson-Odoi
A couple of years ago, it only seemed like a matter of time before Callum Hudson-Odoi would join Bayern Munich. The then-teenager was unhappy with his playing time at Stamford Bridge and the German side were willing to spend big on the wideman.
Now 21-years-old, it appears that particular ship has sailed for both Hudson-Odoi and Bayern. The winger has played 27 games for Chelsea this season, scoring thrice and assisting six times. However, the Blues certainly have an overload in midfield and out wide.
Kai Havertz, Timo Werner, Christian Pulisic, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Hakim Ziyech, and Mason Mount are all battling for two spots between them, and that doesn't include record signing Romelu Lukaku. Perhaps Bayern Munich could return for the wideman in the future, considering he is still very young.
#3 Andreas Christensen
The Denmark and Chelsea center-back has reportedly been on Bayern Munich's radar since the start of the season. The 25-year-old defender is out of contract this summer, and despite prolonged negotiations, does not seem any closer to renewing his current deal with the Blues.
Christensen has accumulated significant experience since joining Chelsea from Borussia Monchengladbach in 2017, making over 150 appearances for the Blues. He has played 24 games this season, finding the net twice.
Niklas Sule recently announced his decision to leave Bayern Munich for Borussia Dortmund on a free transfer at the end of the ongoing season. Dayot Upamecano's injury issues this season mean the Bavarian side are likely to sign a center-back in the summer transfer window.
#2 Antonio Rudiger
Like his Chelsea teammate Andreas Christensen, Antonio Rudiger is also out of contract at the end of the ongoing season. The 28-year-old German center-back has established himself as one of the best defenders in the Premier League under Thomas Tuchel. Rudiger's aggressiveness, raw pace, aerial ability and threat from dead-ball situations make him a well-rounded player.
Chelsea have been open about their desire to tie Rudiger down to a new deal. However, the German's exorbitant wage demands are proving to be a massive hurdle. Bayern Munich are extremely cautious with regard to their spending and are unlikely to break their wage structure to entertain Rudiger's demand.
Although he is older than Christensen, Rudiger is significantly more durable than the Danish defender.
With 183 games under his belt for Chelsea, of which 34 have come this season, the German defender is vastly experienced. He would undoubtedly be a good addition to any club, but it is hard to see Bayern bowing to his reported £300,000+ per week wage demands.
#1 Julian Alvarez
Although Bayern Munich aren't struggling to score goals (they have 70 league goals in 22 games this season), the Bavarian side's attackers are certainly on the older side.
Thomas Muller and Robert Lewandowski, the club's two most dangerous attackers, are 32 and 33, respectively. It is only a matter of time before the wear and tear begins to affect their performances.
Most experts and pundits believe Bayern Munich will sign an attacker in the summer. However, the club was strongly linked with a move for River Plate's 22-year-old striker Julian Alvarez in Januart. The forward has already made six appearances for the Argentina national team and is one of the most highly-rated youngsters in the world.
With 36 goals and 25 assists since his debut in 2018, Alvarez quickly caught the eye of Europe's elite clubs. However, Manchester City moved quickly to swoop in and sign the striker for £15million in the 2022 January window. He will spend the rest of the 2021-22 campaign on loan before joining Pep Guardiola's side next season.
Meanwhile, Bayern Munich will have to continue their hunt for attacking reinforcements elsewhere.
