Report: Jamal Musiala seen as long-term Thomas Muller replacement, alternative winger at Bayern Munich

Per the latest edition of Sport Bild, it is Bayern Munich’s long-term plan is to have Jamal Musiala be the replacement for Thomas Muller in the number 10 role once the Raumdeuter starts to wind down his career.

It is also their plan to use Musiala as a winger as the club doesn’t seem interested in trying to sign a like for like replacement for Douglas Costa. Despite contract negotiation difficulties with Kingsley Coman, Leon Goretzka, and Leroy Sane’s current contract causing headaches, Bayern’s front office is pleased with the squad they currently have and don’t feel the need to bring in reinforcements. Still, that could change if the right opportunity presents itself or, perhaps, if Coman is sold before the window closes.

Callum Hudson-Odoi, Ivan Perisic, and Milot Rashica have all been names touted as potential Costa replacements for Bayern this summer, but nothing on any of those fronts has progressed or materialized. Due to the financial situation at Bayern, in addition to having already singed Dayot Upamecano from RB Leipzig and Omar Richards from Reading FC, Bayern don’t really have a lot of wiggle room when it comes to potential new signings. It would really only change if players were sold this summer; perhaps Niklas Sule, Corentin Tolisso, or Coman, but there’s no indication as of yet that the club is seriously considering selling any of them.

On the wings, Bayern really only has Sane, Coman, and Serge Gnabry at their disposal, so the plan is to use Musiala a lot more as a winger. He’s shown that he can play there for both Bayern and the German national team and has personally said himself that it’s a role he doesn’t mind playing at all.

Photo by Stefan Matzke - sampics/Corbis via Getty Images

Per Transfermarkt, Musiala featured as a winger a total of 14 times in the Bundesliga under Hansi Flick last season, in a campaign that saw him tally seven goals and one assist from a total of 37 appearances across all competitions. For him, it truly was a breakthrough season that Joachim Low clearly took notice of, having selected him for Germany’s Euro 2020 squad after he’d fully committed to represent Germany instead of England internationally.