Report: Newcastle United plotting a move for Bayern Munich defender Lucas Hernandez (Updated)

As Bayern Munich head into yet another matchday, the future of one player seems more uncertain than ever. Since arriving from Atletico Madrid last summer, Lucas Hernandez has struggled to find a place in the lineup. Given this state of affairs, it’s no wonder that the Frenchman has attracted the attention of Premier League club Newcastle United, who about to receive a significant cash injection courtesy of a Saudi takeover. At least, that’s what Bild claims in their latest report.

How did it get to this point? When Bayern paid Atletico Madrid €80m to sign the 24-year-old, they were making an investment for the future. Lucas Hernandez and Niklas Süle were supposed to be the backbone of the club’s new-look back line going forward. The bosses were so committed to the makeover that even Mats Hummels was let go, despite excellent performances in the preceding season.

Unfortunately, the plan hasn’t panned out. Süle suffered a serious ACL injury early on in the campaign, while Lucas, still trying to gel with his new teammates, suffered a long-term ankle injury that cut short his Hinrunde. This opened up a roster spot for Alphonso Davies to come into the XI at left-back, while David Alaba moved to central defense. The duo proved to be world-class at their new positions, and it is their success that is keeping Lucas out of the starting XI at the moment.

Speaking to the press ahead of Bayern Munich’s game against Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday, Hansi Flick explained why the Frenchman wasn’t getting any minutes. “The situation is such that we have confidence in the back four,” said the coach. “David Alaba and Jerome Boateng have demonstrated outstanding performances. We have conceded the fewest goals. If a defense harmonizes very well, as a coach you bet on security.”

However, Flick confirmed that Lucas would definitely get the opportunity to play soon. Sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic also echoed the coach’s sentiment, praising the Frenchman’s mentality and talent. For now, even though it looks tough, no one at Bayern Munich seems to have given up on Hernandez yet. While this latest Newcastle rumor might be a sign of things to come in the future, for now there’s no reason to write off Lucas Hernandez as a failed transfer. The player is young and talented, only time will tell how he fares at this club.

Update

Lucas's agent refutes rumors that he could leave the club.