Update: Bayern Munich rejects Thomas Tuchel’s request for new midfielder due to lack of quality options

Update — August 18th, 8:40AM EDT: No new No. 6 because there are not any good ones left

Tz reporters Philipp Kessler and Mano Bonke added more information to Christian Falk’s report by detailing why Bayern Munich is not willing to get Thomas Tuchel a new midfielder — there are not any good options left on the market:

Full text of the tweet is available here:

Bayern’s transfer committee has clearly signalled to Thomas Tuchel this week that he has to work with the existing midfielders. The general idea is that there’s no #6 on the market that can help the team immediately

The market will still be monitored, but signing a #6 remains unlikely. The bosses see Kimmich/Laimer as the starting double pivot.

After rumors swirled all summer that Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel wanted a new defensive midfielder to stabilize the center of the pitch for his team, a new report from Sport Bild journalist Christian Falk states that the club has rejected Tuchel’s request.

This likely will not go over well with the sometimes volatile manager, who has been visibly and vocally frustrated of late:

The crux of the issue is that Tuchel — allegedly — does not feel that Joshua Kimmich can play the No. 6 position the way that Tuchel wants it to be played. Leon Goretzka has been relegated to the bench and Laimer has been...okay since joining.

Options for a starting defensive midfielder appear to be very limited in Tuchel’s eyes.

Ryan Gravenberch, who Tuchel sees as more of an attacking player anyway, has also been linked to a move to Liverpool, so if Tuchel wants this group to play a certain way in a certain system, he will have to coach them to that level — and not just gripe about what he does not have on the roster.

How receptive the remaining midfielders will be to Tuchel’s direction will be a major subplot for this season.

Regardless, Bayern Munich has been more than accommodating with Tuchel this summer when it comes to transfer requests. The club added Tuchel-approved players like Raphaël Guerreiro (Borussia Dortmund), Kim Min-jae (Napoli), and Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) already, plus the pre-arranged signing of Konrad Laimer (RB Leipzig), who would be considered a “Nagelsmann Era” signing.

That is not too shabby of a haul for this summer transfer window.

Still, Tuchel wants more...and it does not look like he will get it. Now, the coach must use what he has (this group of midfielders) to get what he wants (a treble). Can Tuchel push this group to the next level when he does not feel it is optimal for what he wants to do?

Stay tuned on that one...

Want some thoughts on the squad’s make-up heading into the season? Check out our Weekend Warm-up Podcast on Spotify of below: