Liverpool, Man City want Kimmich as Bayern contract talks stall

Liverpool and Manchester City are monitoring a potential move for Bayern Munich star Joshua Kimmich. The versatile midfielder/defender is widely regarded as one of the top players in his position in all of Europe. The Germany international has already racked up 82 total caps for his country, despite being just 28.

Due to his previous display, Kimmich was previously seen as untouchable in the Bayern squad. After all, the German has been a mainstay in the team since arriving from RB Leipzig way back in 2015. Nevertheless, the star may soon be on his way out of the club due to a contract dispute.

Kimmich’s current contract is set to expire in June of 2025. Although both sides have discussed a possible new agreement, a breakthrough in the discussions has yet to occur. It was even recently reported that the player is unlikely to sign a new deal to remain in Bavaria.

Midfielder, manager do not have good understanding

A significant reason for this hesitation to re-sign comes down to Kimmich’s relationship with his manager. Thomas Tuchel entered the fray last March and helped guide the club to their 11th consecutive Bundesliga title. However, the two key figures in the team do not have the best relationship.

The latest apparent rift between Kimmich and Tuchel came during Bayern’s shock defeat to Werder Bremen on January 21st. With the German giants down 1-0, the manager substituted the midfielder in the 64th minute. Kimmich was visibly unhappy with the move following the change.

After the defeat, Kimmich answered questions about his frustrations with the substitution at a crucial moment in the match. “Of course, I always want to be on the pitch for 90 minutes, especially when we’re behind,” said Kimmich. “That’s normal, it’s the same for every player. Everyone wants to do everything they can to help the team win.”

While the midfielder may be hesitant to re-sign with Bayern, Tuchel may also not be around soon. The Bavarian club currently sits in an unfamiliar second in the German top-flight table. Assuming surprise league leader Bayer Leverkusen eventually wins the title, Bayern brass could very well opt to fire Tuchel.

Bayern wants to wait on Kimmich while Liverpool and City press

With Kimmich’s future up in the air, reports claim Liverpool and Manchester City want the star. The Reds could hold an edge on their English rivals due to the club’s sporting director Jorg Schmadtke. The exec is German and formerly worked for a host of Bundesliga clubs.

Nevertheless, Kimmich previously played for City boss Pep Guardiola when the manager was at Bayern. Guardiola helped bring the midfielder to the German giants before departing for England a year later. The Spanish coach guided Bayern to Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal titles with Kimmich featuring heavily.

While the English duo has an interest in the versatile German star, Bayern appears reluctant to sell him this month. The Bundesliga side would rather wait and see how contract negotiations go with Kimmich before making a final decision in the summer. There are, however, suggestions that Liverpool or City would need to offer at least $50 million to even make Bayern think about sanctioning a January deal.

PHOTOS: IMAGO.