Here comes Bayern! €55 million defensive midfielder joins Kompany, 9-year veteran with 20 titles may move to Manchester City.

It's basically time to congratulate Bayern, the long-awaited defensive midfielder is finally secured. Earlier, German Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg reported that Portuguese midfielder Palhinha will undergo a medical with Bayern after the Euros. "The transfer of Palhinha to Bayern is complete, as previously reported, everything is finalized, the player will undergo medical and sign after the Euros." According to the reporter's earlier information, Bayern will pay €46 million plus add-ons, and the contract will run until 2028.

This is a signing delayed by one year; Bayern had interest in Palhinha as early as last summer. Former Bayern coach Tuchel urgently wanted to strengthen the number 6 position, and Palhinha also strongly desired to join Bayern. To push the deal, Palhinha even flew directly to Munich and underwent a medical, waiting only for the two clubs to agree on terms. However, due to time constraints, Fulham ultimately canceled the deal because they couldn't find a suitable replacement.

Although Bayern changed their coach, the team's issues still need solving; Kompani also sees the team's weaknesses and needs a player with strong defensive ability to enhance midfield solidity. Palhinha is undoubtedly the perfect choice. Palhinha has been the Premier League's top tackler for the past two seasons, with stats standing alone. Besides tackling, Palhinha is also top-tier in interceptions and ball recovery. The player's market value is €55 million; Bayern securing him for €46 million plus add-ons is definitely a bargain.

Clearly, after Palhinha joins, he will become the undisputed starter for Bayern's number 6 position, which will inevitably impact another player's role. Kimmich is the first affected, which is why he has recently been frequently involved in transfer rumors.

From an influence perspective, Kimmich can be called Bayern's "team soul." Since the 15-16 season, Kimmich has served Bayern for nine seasons, helping the team win nine championships, including one Champions League, eight Bundesliga titles, six German Super Cups, one Club World Cup, one UEFA Super Cup, three DFB-Pokals, totaling about 20 trophies. He can be considered an absolute key contributor to Bayern's recent glorious period.

Kimmich initially played as a right-back, then moved forward to midfield, gradually rising to world-class level. Kimmich also fell in love with the number 6 position, but his defensive ability is a weakness, otherwise Bayern wouldn't be so urgently seeking reinforcement. Palhinha's arrival means Kimmich's position will be impacted, and with his contract expiring next year, he is actually already on the verge of leaving.

Current rumors suggest Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain are interested in Kimmich. According to Italian reporter Romano, if no agreement is reached with Bayern on renewal, Kimmich will choose to leave, and moving to the Premier League is a very feasible option. Another reporter, Tobi Altschaffl, reports that Kimmich still has a small chance of renewing with Bayern, but certain conditions must be met. Currently, the likelihood of Kimmich agreeing with Bayern is low unless he accepts at least a 1/4 reduction from his current approximately €20 million annual salary, and whether Kimmich will accept this is unknown.

If moving to the Premier League, joining Manchester City is the most likely. As known, Manchester City is also closely monitoring midfielders, such as Newcastle's Guimarães. But the player's contract has a £100 million release clause, and Manchester City has no intention to trigger it. Additionally, Manchester City is also monitoring Paquetá, but West Ham's asking price is also high. Kimmich appearing on the transfer market will undoubtedly attract Manchester City's attention; Guardiola previously coached Kimmich at Bayern. Kimmich's current market value is €50 million; since his contract is expiring, Bayern's asking price won't be high. Let's wait and see.