FC Bayern Munich

Bayern Munich have completed the signing of Ivan Perisic from Inter Milan on a season-long loan.

Die Roten confirmed the former Borussia Dortmund and Wolfsburg star's arrival on Tuesday via their official website and Twitter account:

#FCBayern have signed Croatia international Ivan Perišić. The World Cup runner up will join the club on loan from Inter Milan with immediate effect. #ServusIvan #MiaSanMia pic.twitter.com/gHJVZtxYOC

— FC Bayern (@FCBayernEN) August 13, 2019

A statement included quotes from the winger, who said: "I'm very glad to be back in Germany. FC Bayern are one of the biggest clubs in Europe. We want to go on the attack, not only in the Bundesliga and the DFB Cup, but also in the Champions League."

Sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic added: "Ivan will help us from the start with his extensive experience at a top international level. He has good technique and he's flexible in attack. I'm sure Ivan will settle in quickly as he knows both the Bundesliga and our coach Niko Kovac well."

Bayern shared some of Perisic's career numbers:

ℹ️ @Brazzo: "Ivan has many years of international experience at the highest level under his belt and he can help us with this. He is technically gifted and versatile in attack." #ServusIvan #MiaSanMia pic.twitter.com/pFzjShPxaV

— FC Bayern (@FCBayernEN) August 13, 2019

Perisic arrives at the Allianz Arena having built a reputation as one of the most exciting wide players in European football. 

The veteran winger has moved to Bavaria following the departures of Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben at the end of last season.

Bild (h/t Football Italia) reported Perisic completed his Bayern medical on Monday. He's joined on an initial season-long loan costing €5 million (£4.6 million), and Bayern have the option to make the move permanent for €20 million (£18.6 million).

Throughout his career it's been clear the 30-year-old has excellent natural talent, although harnessing that ability on a consistent basis has proved to be tough at times.

After joining Borussia Dortmund from Club Brugge in 2011, he struggled to cement his place in the first team under Jurgen Klopp before being moved on to Wolfsburg a couple of years later.

At the Volkswagen Arena the winger set higher standards and was impressive for his national team at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He earned a move to Inter and in four years with the Milan club has played the best football of his career.

Per Squawka Football, in the season just gone he was potent in the final third:

Ivan Perišić has now been directly involved in 18 goals in Serie A this season:

11 goals ⚽️
7 assists 🅰️

Solid contribution. pic.twitter.com/8gYpjrI4M6

— Squawka (@Squawka) May 28, 2017

Bleacher Report's Sam Tighe is an admirer of the player:

Bayern have missed out on a lot of targets this summer, but Ivan Perisic isn’t a bad consolation prize at all. A goalscorer and a very hard worker. https://t.co/L4LOwO8L7D

— Sam Tighe (@stighefootball) August 13, 2019

Perisic is typically at his best off the left side and is adept in many aspects of his game; he's a strong runner, skilful and willing to take on his marker on the inside or the outside.

Coach Niko Kovac will have been struck by the work the Croatian can do out of possession, making him a player who can influence a game in so many different ways.

As has been the case throughout his career, there have been times at Inter when Perisic has struggled to consistently produce in the final third. Typically, his goals come in bunches, and while he's always ready to put a shift in, Bayern supporters may demand a little more.

Still, he's a dynamic and versatile option for Kovac in the final third and someone who will be useful throughout the course of a long campaign.

Bayern Munich manager Niko Kovac has confirmed Inter Milan winger Ivan Perisic is on the verge of moving to the Allianz Arena following the completion of his medical. 

Die Roten have been on the lookout for wing reinforcements this summer, and Kovac told reporters a deal for Perisic was close after watching his side beat Energie Cottbus 3-1 in the DFB-Pokal first round.

Kovac said: "He [Ivan Perisic] was at the medical check today. And if all this goes well and the last papers are sent back and forth [with Inter], then he will become one of our players."

Inter's Ivan Perisic is close to joining Bayern Munich for a €5M loan, with a €20M option to buy, reports @FabrizioRomano pic.twitter.com/sMVJfJm2Em

— B/R Football (@brfootball) August 10, 2019

Robert Lewandowski, Kingsley Coman and Leon Goretzka scored to give Bayern a comfortable win in the cup competition's opening round; Energie's Berkan Taz scored a consolatory goal from the penalty spot late on.

Die Roten were interested in signing Manchester City winger Leroy Sane this summer. However, that was halted after the Germany star suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury that ruled him out for the remainder of 2019, per Goal's Sacha Pisani.

Kovac continued and touched on the transfer practices of other clubs: 

"Regardless of our transfers, there are other clubs that buy players. And I don't like the way these [players] are handled to some extent when you put them in the second or third category.

"We should respect each of them. That's what we stand for and that's what I stand for. And that's what I expect from everyone else. Because it's always easy to criticise someone.

"First you don't get this player, then you don't get the other, and then you have an X, Y or Z solution. I don't think that's nice. That's my personal opinion. Maybe some people share this opinion with me."

The signing of former Borussia Dortmund and Wolfsburg winger Perisic, 30, has received criticism from some sections of the Bayern support who feel the player is too old.

Kovac responded to that criticism and suggested a player's merits and potential impact at the club should be all they're judged upon, per Goal's Ronan Murphy:

Niko Kovac confirms Bayern Munich move for Ivan Perisic and says his age (30) isnt' an issue, telling ARD: "We have to get away from looking at age. We have to look at it like what have they achieved? We have to look at it like can they help us?" #FCBayern #Inter

— Ronan Murphy (@swearimnotpaul) August 12, 2019

Veterans Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben each left vacancies on the wing after they departed the Allianz Arena this summer. James Rodriguez also returned to Real Madrid following his loan in Germany, relieving Kovac of another attacking option compared to last season.

Perisic scored nine goals and recorded eight assists in 45 appearances for Inter last season. Per Squawka, he can score a variety of goals:

Ivan Perišić has scored 37 Serie A goals for Inter Milan:

⬅️ 18 left foot
➡️ 12 right foot
⬆️ 7 headers

A triple threat from out wide. pic.twitter.com/fZOxWyynZq

— Squawka (@Squawka) August 12, 2019

Ajax midfielder Hakim Ziyech told AD (h/t Goal's James Westwood) he turned Bayern down after they moved too late in the window to sign him.

Bayern get their Bundesliga title defence under way at home to Hertha Berlin on Friday, meaning Perisic faces a quick turnaround before making his debut for Die Roten at the Allianz.

Bayern Munich and Inter Milan have reportedly agreed terms on a loan deal that will send Ivan Perisic to the German club.

Football journalist Fabrizio Romano relayed the news:

Ivan Perisic to Bayern Münich, confirmed and... here we go! 🇭🇷🔴

Perisic has accepted and he’ll will fly to Germany soon, it’s paperworks time between clubs. Loan for €5M with buy option for €20M. ✔️#BayernMünich #Inter #transfers

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 10, 2019

Sky Sport Italia (h/t Football Italia) said Perisic has agreed to the loan switch and that the Croatia international did not travel to Spain for Inter's friendly with Valencia on Saturday. 

Football Italia noted the Bundesliga side will pay the player's wages.

Bayern are in the market for a new winger after Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery left the club at the end of last season.

The Bavarian outfit have been linked with Manchester City's Leroy Sane throughout the summer. However, Sky Blues boss Pep Guardiola said the German will be out for "six or seven months" after tearing his cruciate ligament in the Community Shield, per BBC Sport.

Eurosport's Siavoush Fallahi can see why Perisic became a target in light of Sane's injury:

Makes sense that Bayern goes for Perisic. Kovac managed him for Croatia and now that Sane is injured they need another winger

— Siavoush Fallahi (@SiavoushF) August 8, 2019

The 30-year-old has contributed 40 goals and 37 assists in 163 appearances for Inter, but he did not appear to fit into manager Antonio Conte's plans.

He will be a useful option for Bayern out wide, though, and he should help to make up for the losses of Robben and Ribery and their incisive contributions in the final third.

What's more, having turned out for Borussia Dortmund and Wolfsburg prior to his move to Italy, he has plenty of experience of playing in the Bundesliga, so he shouldn't need too long to adapt to his new surroundings.

Hakim Ziyech has agreed a new contract with Ajax, with the Moroccan midfielder set to stay at the club until 2022.

The Dutch champions confirmed the new deal on Twitter:

You asked for magic? 🎩#ExtendingZiyech pic.twitter.com/TsQ6rIr0kc

— AFC Ajax (@AFCAjax) August 9, 2019

Hakim is happy, what about you? 😉#ExtendingZiyech pic.twitter.com/ypst7fx0AD

— AFC Ajax (@AFCAjax) August 9, 2019

Ziyech's previous contract was due to expire at the end of the 2020-21 season, and it will be a relief to Ajax supporters that he has committed his future to the club.

The news should also put a short-term dampener on rumours regarding a possible departure for Ziyech. Per Goal, Bayern Munich have been linked with the 26-year-old recently, with their other summer target Leroy Sane suffering a knee injury in Manchester City's Community Shield showdown with Liverpool.

It's a shock there hasn't been more speculation regarding Ziyech throughout the summer, as last season he was one of the standout attacking players in European football.

Ziyech was a crucial part of Ajax's memorable 2018-19 season, netting 16 goals and 13 assists as the team romped to the Eredivisie title. Ajax also won the KNVB Cup and made a surprise run to the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League, where they were eventually beaten by Tottenham Hotspur.

Ziyech showed he was capable of mixing it on the highest stage in European football. He scored three goals and grabbed three assists in the Champions League, including this one against Spurs in the semis:

💫 A magical season for Hakim Ziyech 🎩

⚽️3⃣
🅰️3⃣#UCL | @AFCAjax pic.twitter.com/MCvgeEn7o7

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) May 13, 2019

Per OptaJohan, Ziyech has been a key creator for the team since his arrival in Amsterdam:

358 - Hakim Ziyech created 358 chances in the Eredivisie since his debut for @AFCAjax in Sept 2016, at least 121 more than any other player. Extended. pic.twitter.com/JcZTmhfbYu

— OptaJohan (@OptaJohan) August 9, 2019

The Morocco star typically played in the wide positions last season, where he was able to cut infield and wreak havoc.

Ziyech's left foot is a hammer, making him a major threat from distance. He can also glide past players and is inventive with his passing around the penalty area.

The extension will be a welcome boost to Ajax supporters.

Per BT Sport Football, the team that gave them so many memories in the 2018-19 season has been picked apart since the end of the campaign:

De Ligt - Gone
De Jong - Gone
Schone - Gone
Van de Beek - Possibly going...
Ziyech - STAYING ✅

Ajax have tied talented winger Hakim Ziyech down with a contract extension to 2022 🙌 pic.twitter.com/rklnN47D7H

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) August 9, 2019

In addition to Ziyech, David Neres and Dusan Tadic have agreed extensions this summer, meaning Ajax have at least kept intact the attacking trio that was such a threat last season. 

Should Ziyech have another season in which he posts similar numbers to the previous one, interest in him is likely to intensify ahead of the January and summer windows. In terms of natural talent, he is good enough to play for some of the biggest clubs in European football.

But for now, his focus is set to be on Ajax, with the Dutch side seeking to build on their sensational previous season.    

Bayern Munich have denied reports that Manchester City's Leroy Sane has agreed to join them.

Both Kicker and Bild (h/t Goal's Ronan Murphy) reported on Thursday that the 23-year-old had agreed to move to the Allianz Arena, with only a fee needing to be decided between the two clubs:

Bayern Munich still have to negotiate a final fee with Manchester City, but Leroy Sane has agreed to move, according to Bild. Negotiations over the fee may take another few days, and the total fee plus wage package is expected to be €200m. #FCBayern #MCFC

— Ronan Murphy (@swearimnotpaul) August 1, 2019

However, Bayern took to Twitter to deny any agreement over the signing of Sane:

News reports made today stating that Leroy Sané has decided to join FC Bayern do not correspond to the facts.

— FC Bayern (@FCBayernEN) August 1, 2019

Sane, 23, joined City from Schalke for £37 million in 2016. He won the PFA Young Player of the Year award in 2017-18 after netting 10 goals and providing 15 assists in City's triumphant Premier League campaign.

On paper, the Germany international enjoyed another fine season in 2018-19, scoring 10 goals and assisting 10 in 31 league games.

However, 10 of those appearances came from the bench, and Pep Guardiola appeared to have lost faith in Sane for the biggest games.

Bayern manager Niko Kovac recently said he was "confident" Bayern would be able to sign Sane:

Bayern Munich's Niko Kovac on Leroy Sane transfer, to ZDF: "Our leadership is very engaged there. I'm confident and assume that we can get him." #FCBayern #MCFC

— Ronan Murphy (@swearimnotpaul) July 28, 2019

Even if City are prepared to let him go, though, they will likely demand a huge transfer fee.

Sane's contract with City runs to 2021, so the club are not under any huge pressure to sell him.

Bayern have a history of being remarkably frugal relative to Europe's other elite sides. 

Until recently, their record transfer fee was the £37 million they spent on Corentin Tolisso in June 2017.

That was eclipsed by the £68 million they paid to sign Lucas Hernandez earlier this year, and they may have to spend even more to snap up Sane.  

Bayern Munich manager Niko Kovac has dismissed speculation linking the club with a move for Bayer Leverkusen forward Leon Bailey.

Talk has gathered pace in the previous week about Bayern possibly trying to sign the winger before the transfer window closes. However, following the Munich club's loss to Tottenham Hotspur in the Audi Cup final on Wednesday, Kovac made it clear there was no interest, per Goal:

"I am not responsible for transfers, but I have to say something regarding this. I find it extraordinarily strange that you can blurt something out and nothing happens. You can just say something but it's not true.

"If you communicate something like this, there must be undeniable proof. Otherwise, you cannot spread it as news. I would ask you to check it. It's not true, it's not verified. It's false."

As the report relayed, Transfermarkt had said Bayern had agreed personal terms with the 21-year-old ahead of a possible switch.

The previous season was a struggle for Bailey, as he was only able to net five goals and grab one assist in 29 Bundesliga appearances. While he was a breakthrough star in 2017-18, it was midfielder Kai Havertz who emerged as Leverkusen's most important player in 2018-19.

Still, there's no doubt that Bailey has the talent to go a long way in the game. The Jamaica international posted the following clip of a tremendous goal he scored against Bayern earlier in the year:

🎯 pic.twitter.com/ESgjtnKBlc

— Leon Bailey ✞ (@leonbailey) March 19, 2019

Bailey can be devastating at his best. He has been most comfortable when deployed on the left flank, where he is able to maintain width and burst around the outside of opposition full-backs.

The winger is also adept at dipping infield, where he can drive at defences and take shots at goal.

Even in a season of struggles, he was able to offer creativity:

Most chances created by Bayer 04 Leverkusen players in the Bundesliga and Europa League this season:

80 • 🇩🇪 Julian Brandt (22)
64 • 🇯🇲 Leon Bailey (21)
40 • 🇩🇪 Kevin Volland
36 • 🇩🇪 Kai Havertz (19)

Brandt's €25m release clause looking more enticing with every game. pic.twitter.com/nVKm6XlyL6

— SCOUTED (@scoutedftbl) April 10, 2019

In the previous campaign, losses of form and being deployed in different positions prevented Bailey from performing to his best.

Bayern appear to be on the lookout for reinforcements in the wide positions following the departures of veterans Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben at the end of last season. The club have been open about their desire to sign Leroy Sane from Manchester City, with Kovac calling him a "dream player" in an interview with Sport Bild (h/t Goal's James Westwood). 

German football journalist Alex Chaffer commented on what has been an interesting summer for the Bundesliga champions:

Bayern Munich are entering a new era without Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben. Partner that with the sale of Mats Hummels, welcoming Lucas Hernandez and Benjamin Pavard among others. It's been a big summer of change at the Allianz Arena, but can they keep up the pace at the top?

— Alex Chaffer (@AlexChaffer) July 25, 2019

Like Sane, Bailey is left-footed, direct and capable of producing in the final third. As such, the links to the Leverkusen man didn't appear outlandish.

However, with Kovac shutting the speculation down immediately, it will be fascinating to see who Bayern target in the final days of the transfer window as they look to add more attacking spark to the wide areas.  

Bayern Munich face Tottenham Hotspur in the final of the 2019 Audi Cup at the the German champions' Allianz Arena on Wednesday. 

In the sixth edition of their pre-season tournament, Bayern have reached their fifth final and are looking to win it for a fourth time.

Two years ago, when Atletico Madrid triumphed, hosts Bayern came fourth after losing both their matches.

They ensured there would be no repeat of that on Tuesday when they thrashed Fenerbahce 6-1, while Spurs beat Real Madrid 1-0.

                        

Date: Wednesday, July 31 

Time: 7:30 p.m. BST, 2:30 p.m. ET 

TV Info: ITV4 (UK)

Live Stream: ITV Hub, ESPN+

Match Odds (via Oddschecker): Bayern 10-13, Draw 16-5, Tottenham 41-13

                       

For Bayern, the Audi Cup final is their last pre-season game before they face Borussia Dortmund in the German Super Cup on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Spurs follow Wednesday's clash with a friendly against Inter Milan before kicking off their Premier League campaign against Aston Villa on August 10.

Thomas Muller made the key contribution for Bayern against Fenerbahce on Tuesday as he netted a hat-trick amid goals from Renato Sanches, Leon Goretzka and Kingsley Coman.

Harry Kane was the sole goalscorer in Spurs' clash with Real, with the Englishman showing a fine touch to produce a deft finish after Marcelo's mistake:

Cool as you like! 😎@HKane capitalises on Marcelo's mistake to give @SpursOfficial the lead midway through the first half

Watch live on @ITV4 and the @itvhub #AudiCup #HalaMadrid #THFC pic.twitter.com/WDbFSQv48U

— ITV Football (@itvfootball) July 30, 2019

In pre-season, performances matter a lot more than results, and both managers will use Wednesday's fixture as an opportunity to trial various tactics and players in preparation for the new campaign.

But given the start of the 2019-20 season is so close, and the fact there is silverware on the line, there should be a greater competitive edge to the Audi Cup final.

Mauricio Pochettino's Spurs side have slowly established themselves among the European elite in the last few seasons, culminating in their UEFA Champions League final spot last term.

It is a group Bayern have been part of for a long time, so Wednesday's fixture can be legitimately labelled as a clash between two of Europe's heavyweights.

A victory in the Audi Cup final would provide either side with a momentum boost going into the new campaign.

There is set to be a huge amount of attacking talent on show, with Robert Lewandowski, Heung-Min Son and Christian Eriksen likely to join Muller and Kane in the action.

As such, this year's Audi Cup final should be an entertaining clash as Bayern look to win their home tournament for the first time since 2015.  

Bayern Munich boss Niko Kovac has apologised after being criticised by club CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge for saying he was "confident" the German side would sign Manchester City's Leroy Sane. 

"I did not like what he said," Rummenigge told ZDF (h/t MailOnline's Will Griffee). "We have a good relationship with Manchester City and our former coach Pep Guardiola. Sane still has a contract there. Neither optimistic nor pessimistic quotes help us in that matter."

Per Goal's Guy Atkinson, Bayern's sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic toed a similar line and said Rummenigge's comments came because the club advise against discussing players under contract elsewhere.

Kovac had told ZDF: "Our club management is very committed. It is not easy in this day and age, you see, otherwise it would already be sorted. But I am very confident. I assume we can get it [done]."

After being admonished by Rummenigge, Kovac spoke to ZDF again (h/t Atkinson):

"We [Bayern and him] talked about it. Maybe I was too offensive in that interview. I talked to Pep and apologised because of it. 

"I would like to apologise to the club, too. I will restrain myself in cases like this in the future."

Per Atkinson, Bayern have been linked with Sane throughout the summer, but the two sides are yet to agree a deal, with City valuing the winger at £90 million (€98 million).

Despite notching an impressive return of 16 goals and 18 assists in all competitions last season, the 23-year-old fell out of favour somewhat over the course of the campaign.

In the Premier League, he made just 21 starts, and only two came against fellow top-six opponents.

In the penultimate game of the campaign, Guardiola brought Sane off the bench against Leicester City, and sports journalist Peter Hall felt the coach's treatment was indicative of an issue he had with the German:

Pep is screaming at Sane at every opportunity. He really does not trust him in these big games.

— Peter Hall (@PeteHall86) May 6, 2019

Sane also started the FA Cup and Carabao Cup finals on the bench and did the same in both quarter-final legs of the UEFA Champions League with Tottenham Hotspur.

Given he would enjoy a much more prominent role at Bayern, who, like City, can offer virtually guaranteed silverware and Champions League football every season, Sane could be receptive to a move.

He's a valuable asset at the Etihad Stadium and still has two years remaining on his contract, though, so agreeing a deal with City for him won't necessarily be straightforward.

It is pretty easy to see why Leroy Sane has had his head turned by interest from Bayern Munich.

Just getting minutes on the pitch is going to be a battle for him at Premier League champions Manchester City. But a move to his homeland would change everything. The Bundesliga winners want him to be the marquee signing that launches them into a new campaign.

So far, it has been a strange summer in Munich. Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery, Mats Hummels and Rafinha have departed—and while Lucas Hernandez, Jann-Fiete Arp, and Benjamin Pavard have arrived, it does not seem quite sufficient to keep them clear of title rivals Borussia Dortmund, and even the players seem frustrated.

Listen to Dean every week on the B/R Football Ranks podcast. Subscribe here. 

Joshua Kimmich and Robert Lewandowski have both publicly stated that they would like to see new faces, with the Poland international striker telling reporters: "Without transfers, it will be difficult to compete for the big titles. To play and stay at a top level, you need a reinforced team."

Hernandez cost €80 million (£73 million) and Pavard €35 million, so it is not as though Bayern's top brass have been shy to dip into their pockets. But it's the attacking options that seem short, especially when fans have read for so long about apparent interest in exciting talent such as Gareth Bale, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Wilfried Zaha and Sane.

Dortmund have brought in Hummels, Julian Brandt, Thorgan Hazard and Nico Schulz for the new season. Bayern fans would love reassurance that their own team are going to better that.

Philipp Kessler is a reporter for German newspaper Bild and told B/R of his concerns over their transfer business so far this summer. 

"It is not satisfactory," he said. "Although they already signed two world champions in Lucas Hernández and Benjamin Pavard, the megatransfer for the offence has not yet come through. The current team is good enough to win national titles—but at European level, Bayern needs new stars in my opinion. There are still a few weeks left in this transfer window..."

Bayern intend to add new faces, and Sane is the priority. Sources told us that senior figures at the club have been asked to remain quiet over a potential deal for Sane, yet coach Niko Kovac could not help himself this week when he told ZDF (h/t TalkSport) he was "confident" of a deal.

Sane is open to it, too. At the end of last season he was frustrated—Pep Guardiola seemed to have little faith in him in the big games. But there is still a will from City to extend his current contract beyond 2021..

Last week, Pep Guardiola said, per BBC: "He has to make a decision. If he wants to go, he can do that, but we would be sad." For Bayern, though, that decision could mean everything.

The German club continue to look at other, cheaper, wing options and have also been negotiating with Espanyol over a potential €40 million transfer for central midfielder Marc Roca.

This is an important time for executive board chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, who has stressed the importance of winning the Champions League before he steps aside in 2021.

Part of his remit is to use his extensive contacts in the game to help deliver a stellar signing—and that's what everyone is now waiting for. 

Abel Meszaros is an analyst at Sport 1 and an expert on German football for Bundesliga Fanatic. He claims that while there have been some positives for Bayern since the end of last season, everything hinges on a big signing.

"Getting the Pavard and Lucas deals done early was a positive, as was making decisions early on players Kovac did not plan on using like Hummels and James Rodriguez," he said. 

"It's Sane or bust at this point. With him, they are the clear favourites to defend the title. Without him? I'd think Dortmund, who have crushed this summer's market already, are probably just about favourites."

If I'm being honest here, and I speak for a few City fans (maybe more), that Leroy Sane is taking way too long with his decision and, quite frankly, he's being a bit disrespectful leaving the club and fans in limbo like this. Decide, Leroy. Bayern or us.

— Luke (@scitizen284) July 29, 2019

The future of Bayern is intriguing—and not just in terms of personnel.

Kovac has been indicating during pre-season that he prefers to use a 4-3-3 system—although there is an expectation that in big games he may still revert to the club's tried and tested 4-2-3-1.

Meszaros added: "The 4-3-3 would see Thiago as the lone [No.] 6 and is the go-to formation—with Leon Goretzka and Tolisso as the [No.] 8s. The front three right now is Lewy [Lewandowski], Kingsley Coman and Serge Gnabry.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFEiiWzH3Ws

"The fun question is whether Kovac, who liked using three centre-backs previously, will do so in Bayern because now they have the players to do so."

Bayern have postponed their traditional team photograph. It's likely they are going to wait until their new squad is complete.

But the German transfer window closes on September 2, and if they do not get Sane on board, you have to question how this team will compete with Europe's very best next season.

Bayern Munich boss Niko Kovac is confident the club will complete the signing of Manchester City winger Leroy Sane this summer.

Per MailOnline's Will Griffee, Bayern are said to be readying a £90 million bid for the German.

Kovac told ZDF (h/t Griffee): "I am confident, I think we can get him."

Sane returned 16 goals and 18 assists in 47 appearances for Manchester City last season.

He has offered a reminder of his end product in pre-season:

⚽️ @leroysane19 picks his spot in style!

⚪️ 0-2 🔵 #mancity
WATCH: https://t.co/Zju7LsrCYT pic.twitter.com/1WEdWHJe9l

— Manchester City (@ManCity) July 24, 2019

After he scored a second time in that match, a 6-1 friendly win over Hong Kong outfit Kitchee, City boss Pep Guardiola expressed his desire for the 23-year-old to remain at the Etihad Stadium:

🗣 Guardiola on Sane: "He's a guy we appreciate, I like him a lot. I think he can be better. I've said that we want him to stay. That's why he has an offer to extend his contract. It's not in our hands. The offer is good - if he wants to leave, I'll be sad. Hopefully, he stays." pic.twitter.com/bplKeWZFeb

— GOAL (@goal) July 24, 2019

As Sane's numbers demonstrated last season, he can be a match-winning asset for the Sky Blues, and he adds a great deal to their depth in forward areas.

However, in City's last 14 Premier League games, he started just five times, and on the same number of occasions, he did not even make it off the bench.

He didn't start either the FA Cup or Carabao Cup finals, and in the UEFA Champions League, he played a total of just seven minutes against Tottenham Hotspur in the quarter-finals.

Football journalist Jack Pitt-Brooke discussed Sane's situation on BBC Radio 5 Live:

‘Clearly there’s an issue there behind the scenes with Pep’ - @JackPittBrooke 🎙

Leyroy Sané is @FCBayernEN ‘dream signing’, so why is he not starting every game for @ManCity? ⚽️

Listen here 👇
📲 https://t.co/0kUniWPgQm#BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/7O9BP52mLv

— BBC 5 Live Sport (@5liveSport) July 24, 2019

At Bayern, he'd be a key player expected to replace legendary wing duo Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery, who both departed the club at the end of last season.

He'd be an excellent long-term choice to fulfil that role, and it would not be a surprise if the significance of the part he'd play did tempt him into leaving.