Bayern Munich working on renewed January transfer window plans

Bayern Munich seems to be doing an about face on its January transfer window policy.

The German Rekordmeister has been feeling the injury squeeze lately and acknowledged that their roster could get even lighter at the start of the Rückrunde, unless they take action on the market.

“We’re working on it,” head coach Thomas Tuchel admitted ahead of Bayern’s DFB-Pokal clash with Saarbrücken (as captured by @iMiaSanMia). “We’re going to lose many players for several weeks in January because of international tournaments. We have our eyes and ears open. We’ll try to strengthen our team in January, even though it’s not easy.”

The January window is not an ideal time to add players, because any new arrivals will have to acclimate to the team mid-season — and the market may be tighter than it is in the summer. However, Bayern’s already light defense will be set to lose right-backs Noussair Mazraoui and Bouna Sarr to the Africa Cup of Nations in January, and center-back Kim Min-jae to the Asian Cup.

Striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting is also expected to take part in AFCON.

Bayern are well-stocked in attack, but the absences leave midfielder Konrad Laimer the primary option at right-back, adding a hole to a midfield Bayern already tried — and failed — to bolster at the end of the summer transfer window with Fulham defensive midfielder João Palhinha.

Dayot Upamecano and Matthijs de Ligt would be the only senior center-backs on the roster in this time as well.

It could be back to the drawing board with Tuchel and the Bayern front office.