Bayern Munich potentially interested in Espanyol’s Nico Melamed

There’s no telling what the next transfer window is going to look like given the state of the global COVID-19 pandemic, but with no football, Bayern Munich’s scouts have had plenty of time for future squad planning. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has already said that the club’s main focus at the moment is contract talks with the players whose contracts are set to expire next year and all other transfer plans are “on hold” for now. Still, though, per a new report by Tz, Bayern is potentially interested in Espanyol starlet, Nico Melamed.

The 18-year old midfielder has been in Espanyol’s youth ranks since 2013 and has worked his way up to the club’s B side. In the Segunda Division B Group 3, he’s tallied 7 goals from 26 appearances and even featured once for Espanyol’s senior squad in a Europa League qualifier against Swiss side FC Luzern. His performances for Espanyol even warranted a call up to the Spain U-19 squad, but he still has not yet made an appearance for them.

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Chelsea, Barcelona, and Real Madrid are also said to be interested in the youngster, so Bayern face stiff competition if their pursuit ever increases when everyone has a better understanding of what the next transfer window will look like.

Melamed’s current contract with Espanyol runs through 2023, but he has a release clause of only €8m, which could prove to be a bargain, even for a player who doesn’t have any top flight experience, per se. Espanyol’s senior side sit dead last in the La Liga table and their ‘B’ side are currently in 8th place in the Segunda Divison B Group 3 table, so Melamed might be eager to leave as soon as possible since the senior squad could face relegation.

Bayern’s front office could also help paint a clear picture of a plan for Melamed if they really want to sign him by using players like Alphonso Davies and Joshua Zirkzee as examples of how a younger player can properly develop in the reserve teams. Melamed would likely spend the majority of his time with Bayern’s reserves in the 3. Liga if he were to come to Munich, but he could very well work his way into the first team just as both Davies and Zirkzee have done.

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