The 8 Bayern Munich players Thomas Tuchel sold & how they’re faring in 2024
Thomas Tuchel will leave Bayern Munich at the end of the 2023-24 season after a stint that has only furthered his reputation as perhaps the most polarising manager in football right now.
The German’s back felt up against the wall from the moment he replaced Julian Nagelsmann in early 2023, but he battled through to lift the Bundesliga with his new club. That all unravelled this season as they fell completely off the pace and looked nowhere near the imperious Bayer Leverkusen, who became the first side that isn’t Bayern to win the Bundesliga since 2012.
Despite their poor league form, Tuchel guided the club to the Champions League semi-final, losing out to Real Madrid and a contentious VAR decision. He’s been responsible for bringing Harry Kane and several others to Munich, but what about the players he’s let go?
During his time at the club, Tuchel got rid of eight players on permanent deals. We’ve looked at how they’ve done since – and assessed whether or not the German ought to have kept a few of them around.
Bright Arrey-Mbi
Making his senior Bayern Munich debut in the Champions League under Hansi Flick in late 2020 – the season after they’d won the treble – Arrey-Mbi failed to break into the first-team and spent last season on loan at Hannover 96.
His loan was made permanent in the summer of 2023. So far this season, he’s made 30 2. Bundesliga appearances and become a regular at his new club as they look to force their way up the league. Promotion isn’t on the cards this season, however, thus it looks like Bayern made the right decision to let him go.
Daley Blind
In what felt like a rather strange transfer at the time, Bayern snapped up Blind at the beginning of 2023 after he terminated his contract with Ajax, but he featured just five times for the German giants before leaving again in the summer.
Not much was thought of his departure. Not until he signed for Girona on a free transfer and played a crucial role at the heart of their defence as they first threatened to win La Liga, but have since put together a commendable campaign that looks set to see them finish in the top four.
Considering Kim Min-jae’s poor start to life in Munich, Dayot Upemecano’s shaky form and the subsequent mid-season signing of Erid Dier, Bayern would’ve benefitted from keeping hold of the experienced Dutchman.
Lucas Hernandez
Five years after signing in a then club-record deal worth €80million, Bayern parted ways with Hernandez in the summer of 2023, selling him to Paris Saint-Germain for around half of what they paid for him initially.
The towering French defender tore his ACL in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final against Borussia Dortmund and is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
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Marcel Sabitzer
Perhaps another one that got away, Sabitzer never quite kicked on after making the move from RB Leipzig to Bayern Munich and spent the final months of his time as a Bayern player out on loan at Manchester United, which never really got going due to injuries.
Die Roten sold him to Borussia Dortmund last summer for a fee of around €19million, according to reports. That equates to around £15million, and for such a small price, the Austrian’s impact at his new club has been immense, bagging six goals and assisting a further nine in all competitions, including a goal and two assists in the Champions League quarter final.
Bayern fell in the league and in Europe, while Sabitzer has a Champions League final to look forward to. A tough pill to swallow for Tuchel and Bayern.
Sadio Mane
Just a season after completing a £35million switch to Bayern, the German giants quickly shifted Mane after an extremely underwhelming campaign which saw him get injured, score just seven times in the Bundesliga and fall out with Leroy Sane.
Thankfully for Bayern, they were bailed out of a bizarre deal by Al Nassr, who signed the 32-year-old in a deal that saw them recoup most of the transfer fee.
Yann Sommer
Sommer only signed for Bayern at the beginning of 2023 from Borussia Monchengladbach to fill the gap left by the injured Manuel Neuer. But when he recovered from injury, the Swiss stopper was allowed to join Inter that summer for just €6million according to reports.
Bayern haven’t exactly missed Sommer’s presence with Neuer looking back to his best, but selling him for such a nominal fee has proven a bit of a misstep considering how brilliant he’s been as Andre Onana’s replacement at Inter. They ought to have squeezed a bit more out of the Italian side.
READ: Where are they now? Bayern Munich’s most expensive signing of every season since 2010
Benjamin Pavard
Another player sold to Inter, Pavard was highly regarded at Bayern, but never felt like more than a utility player and was at risk of significantly reduced game time with Tuchel playing Joshua Kimmich at right-back.
He headed to Italy and hasn’t looked back, featuring 30 times for Simone Inzaghi’s absolutely brilliant side who have decimated the competition in Serie A.
Again, considering Bayern’s defensive lapses this season, Pavard really could’ve been of use.
Ryan Gravenberch
Emerging as the shining star at Ajax, Bayern won the race to sign Gravenberch in 2022, but after a difficult season in Munich, were happy to sell him to Liverpool in a £38million deal last summer.
Die Roten managed to make a profit despite his difficult campaign and – almost a year on – it would be a stretch to suggest that they’ve missed him in their midfield.
The 21-year-old has largely played a rotation role under Jurgen Klopp and while there’s no doubting his potential, he feels like a signing for the future for Liverpool.