Bayern Munich star Joshua Kimmich has reportedly opened preliminary negotiations with Real Madrid, and the Spanish giants are said to be interested in signing him in the summer upon the expiry of his contract.
The Bavarians are first in the Bundesliga with 48 points and are six points ahead of second-placed Bayer Leverkusen, and boss Vincent Kompany looks like he has a strong chance to help the German side reclaim the title.
It also appears that left-back Alphonso Davies will sign a new contract with Bayern and reject interest from Real Madrid, and the news will come as a welcome boost given the defender has been consistently linked with a move away.
The Bundesliga club could have a busy few months ahead, with Leroy Sane set to leave the club for free at the end of 2024-25 unless he reaches an agreement on new terms, while others like Mathys Tel have been linked with a transfer to teams such as Chelsea.
However, German outlet BILD claim that Kimmich has opened preliminary discussions with Real about a potential move to Spain in the summer.
© Imago
Who could need Kimmich?
Real Madrid are first in La Liga but are by no means guaranteed to automatically progress to the round of 16 in the Champions League, and it is fair to say that Los Blancos have at times struggled without the presence of midfielder Toni Kroos.
Kroos was an expert passer from deep and controlled the tempo of Real's attacks, choosing when to speed up play and when to retain possession, and the likes of Aurelien Tchouameni have been unable to replicate the midfielder's attributes on the ball.
Kimmich would not be a like-for-like replacement, but he does possess the ability to play a wide variety of passes, and his skillset would undoubtedly benefit forwards such as Kylian Mbappe, who excel when latching onto passes beyond the opposition defensive line.
Liverpool have also been tentatively linked with a move for Kimmich in the past, and the 29-year-old could be one option to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold should the right-back depart for free in the summer himself.
Kimmich has experience of playing on the right of a back four, and there is an argument that both the German and Alexander-Arnold share similar qualities in possession.
The Reds have generally looked to sign players of a younger age profile, but Kimmich might at least allow Liverpool to transition to life without Alexander-Arnold smoothly.
However, the Bayern player has often spoken about his desire to play at the base of midfield, and given Ryan Gravenberch has performed excellently in this role, perhaps the German would be better suited to Real Madrid.
Lewis Nolan
