Bayern Munich already intends to sell Corentin Tolisso this summer?

“This World Champion may be sold in the summer!” Bild claims. Which World Champion? Corentin Tolisso. The publication claims, “Bayern wants to sell Corentin Tolisso (25)!”

But the evidence they cite in support of their contention is rather flimsy. Even the way they present their information is oddly non-committal. They say,

According to Bild and Sport Bild’s information, everything points to a separation in this summer — although Tolisso is still under contract until 2022.

“Everything points to...”? Bild in fact cites nothing that points directly to the front office. Here is the “evidence” they cite:

• Tolisso is unhappy with his role as a bench player. Of course he is. Why wouldn’t he be? Even that does not necessarily mean he has decided he wants out, but Tolisso moreover is not Bayern Munich’s front office, and we are concerned with their plans.
• Tolisso plays no part in Hansi Flick’s plans. Again, this argument is about Tolisso, not Bayern’s front office. Tolisso has not featured regularly, because his form has been inconsistent, not because Hansi Flick has an a priori aversion to him.

Tolisso obviously has needed time to recover from the devastating knee injury that cost him virtually the entire 2018/19 season, more time probably than both he and his former coach Niko Kovac anticipated.

Kovac in fact played Tolisso regularly in the early 2019/20 season, and the midfielder’s poor performances after missing a full year to injury were a large part of Kovac’s undoing: Tolisso started in two extremely disappointing results under Kovac (2-2 vs Hertha Berlin, 1-2 loss vs TSG Hoffenheim), and played a forgettable half an hour in a third (1-1 vs RB Leipzig). It was Kovac, not Flick, who benched Tolisso in the final three games he managed for Bayern. Flick has merely kept Tolisso on the bench.

Be that as it may, Bild concludes that Tolisso is becoming an “expensive misunderstanding” for Bayern, despite his offensive contributions (8 goals in 38 games). They write,

Only a performance explosion in the push to the end of the season could lead to a rethinking — both by Tolisso and by the club! Bayern would prefer to sell him in the summer for millions and make room in the Midfield. For example, for transfer target Kai Havertz (20/Leverkusen).

They say never rule anything out in soccer, and a sudden sale of the club’s 2017 record transfer is certainly possible after only three seasons, but if Tolisso is on the books until 2022, Bayern also has an interest in seeing him recover his form and value, and they can decide whether to extend or sell him as he plays the penultimate year of his contract, the 2020/21 season.

And, frankly, it simply would not be very Bayern-like to give up on a player struggling after returning from a major injury. From Holger Badstuber to Manuel Neuer, and even in the case of players with other struggles like Renato Sanches, who joined in 2016 and left last year — and quite vocally wanted out — Bayern is reluctant to act prematurely.