Moves Bayern Munich Should and Should Not Make in the Summer Transfer Window

Bayern Munich may still be a few months off the end of the season and potential silverware along the way in Germany and Europe, but their manager Pep Guardiola will undoubtedly have already got started on his plans for the coming summer transfer window. 

The Bavarian giants always enjoy picking the best talent in the Bundesliga and across Europe and as such are always ready to upgrade even their most talented and integrated stars. 

Today we’ve taken a look at the decisions Guardiola should and should not make in the summer transfer window. 

Do: Sign Another Striker

Martin Meissner/Associated Press

Although Robert Lewandowski has done reasonably well in his first season at Bayern, it has become abundantly clear that the club desperately need an alternative if or when the Polish international isn’t at the top of his game. 

Guardiola has tried Thomas Muller and even Mario Gotze as false No. 9 throughout the season to mixed results but for a squad the size of Bayern’s there really should be a solid No. 2 in the manager’s roster of strikers. 

Don't: Sign Another Central Midfielder

Matthias Schrader/Associated Press

With the age of Xabi Alonso and the apparent injury-proneness of Bastian Schweinsteiger and Thiago Alcantara, Guardiola will undoubtedly be tempted to pick up another holding midfielder this summer. 

Yet what the Bayern midfielder must bare in mind is that each of these three players may well be fully fit and raring to go come next season, alongside Javi Martinez and Philipp Lahm who can and almost certainly will want to play in midfield. 

Bayern don’t need any more central midfielders, despite looking rather bare at the moment. 

Do: Sign a Replacement for Rafinha

Kerstin Joensson/Associated Press

Guardiola has often jumped between 3-4-3 and 4-3-3 throughout the current season, but despite popular opinion the former Barcelona manager has actually often stuck with four at the back for much of his side’s biggest games. 

As such the club during any given game are limited to just Rafinha and Lahm as the two options at right-back yet the club captain will almost certainly be retaining his spot in midfield, meaning Guardiola only has the average Brazilian player at his disposal. 

Bayern have outstanding depth in their team but when it comes to right-back they could certainly use an upgrade.

Don't: Mess with the Central Defenders

Michael Probst/Associated Press

At the moment it seems as though Bayern’s central defence is all over the place. Sure, we have Jerome Boateng in his place but then there are a whole host of colleagues—Dante, Holger Badstuber and Mehdi Benatia—who currently have no idea where they rank in the standings. 

This may seem like a problem worth fixing in the transfer market yet instead Guardiola may prefer to give such mayhem another season to sort itself out. There’s plenty of talent there and if the manager is smart enough about it, he could have a defence with two or three confident, talented defenders at his disposal.