Report: Bayern Munich eye 17-year-old Hertha Berlin left-back as a David Alaba replacement

With Bayern Munich set to lose David Alaba to Real Madrid this summer, the bosses need to find a replacement. Lucas Hernandez can move to the center back spot, so it seems like the club are looking for a left-back to backup for Alphonso Davies. Reading FC’s Omar Richards has been heavily linked with a transfer to Bayern, but according to kicker, Bayern are also considering Hertha Berlin youngster Luca Netz.

Why Luca Netz? Well, as per the report, the bosses are apprehensive of getting a Championship left-back with no Bundesliga level experience. Netz, on the other hand, has been getting minutes for Berlin in recent matchdays, even starting in the capital club’s most recent game against Werder Bremen. Incumbent Hertha LB Maximilian Mittelstadt was moved to the wing for that game. Netz was preferred over Marvin Plattenhardt, who has appeared for Germany at the international level.

While Hertha might’ve lost that game 4-1, without having actually seeing the game, it’s hard to assess how Netz did. His stats don’t tell us much — according to whoscored, he had 3 dribbles with a 100% success rate, 1 tackle, and was dribbled past only once. Respectable numbers for a 17-year-old, especially on a team that’s a hot mess like Hertha, but we have no idea of knowing how he’ll perform as a backup to Alphonso Davies at Bayern.

At the very least, Netz would be inexpensive as his contract expires this summer, just like Omar Richards. This fits with Bayern’s stated goal of buying only cheap and young talent in the transfer window this year, with only one big transfer at the most. If Dayot Upamecano is set to be the big transfer in defense, then someone like Netz would suffice as a backup player at left-back.

What’s certain at this point is that Bayern Munich’s management are planning to put Lucas Hernandez at center-back when David Alaba leaves. At the moment, Hansi Flick seems to prefer the Frenchman at left-back, but that could change as the season wears on. If the bosses really see Omar Richards or Luca Netz as future LB candidates alongside Davies, then it may be prudent for Flick to start easing Hernandez into his future position and building up a partnership with Niklas Sule.