4 Players Bayern Munich Should Clear out in Summer Transfer Window

Clark Whitney@@Mr_BundesligaX.com LogoFeatured ColumnistJune 12, 2016

4 Players Bayern Munich Should Clear out in Summer Transfer Window

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    Kirsty Wigglesworth/Associated Press

    The 2015-16 campaign was a very positive one for many Bayern Munich players, among them Thomas Muller, Robert Lewandowski, Douglas Costa, Kingsley Coman and Joshua Kimmich.

    Football is a game played by 11 players at a time, though, and with professional squads often twice that size or bigger, some are going to struggle in any case. Bayern are no exception, and there are a handful of players in their squad who failed to assert themselves.

    The arrival of a new coach also means that some players may be best advised to move along to another club, with the incoming trainer looking to start fresh rather than having to rebuild in the middle of his term. Carlo Ancelotti may well aim to make a few changes ahead of his first term as Bayern boss.

    As the summer transfer window continues and the 2016-17 draws nearer, B/R has run the rule over the Bayern squad and picked out the players who ought to be pruned from the Bayern team. Those included are loanees and Bayern players who tasted first-team action last season, and they are presented in alphabetical order by surname.

Xabi Alonso

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    Michael Sohn/Associated Press

    It will come as controversial given that Xabi Alonso had his best season in Munich in 2015-16, but the Spaniard is one player that Ancelotti would be wise to remove ahead of the next campaign.

    The 34-year-old managed to prolong his career at the highest level thanks in part to the leg work Arturo Vidal provided in midfield, and he should be thoroughly applauded for defying the odds and offering consistent excellence over the course of the most recent campaign.

    Yet the time has come for him to pass on the torch. If he truly is the best player in his position for the next three years, Bayern will find themselves in serious trouble in the Champions League: The modern game at the highest level simply is not a place where players in their late-30s can operate.

    Alonso probably will stick around in Munich for a while longer, his recent contract extension being the clearest indicator of that. And it causes no problem if he is relegated to a support role in training: In fact, this is where he can be most useful in the long term.

    But if he does stay in Munich, Ancelotti would be wise to move on and look to the future of the Bayern midfield with Vidal nurturing new signing Renato Sanches, and Thiago Alcantara playing more minutes.

Medhi Benatia

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    Matthias Schrader/Associated Press

    If there ever was a player in need of a change, it's Medhi Benatia. The Morocco international was the best defender in Serie A not long ago, but two difficult years have taken their toll. He took a bit of a step back in 2014-15, but that was entirely understandable as he adjusted to a new league. Yet in 2015-16, he had an absolute nightmare of a campaign.

    In all competitions, Benatia played just 1,273 minutes last season, per Transfermarkt. Injuries certainly played a role, but the defender was dreadful in some big games, particularly in the Champions League.

    It's no wonder Benatia recently told Kicker (h/t Daily Mail) he was "tired." He added: "Here in Munich I have experienced the two most difficult years in my career."

    Benatia was quick to say that he felt supported by CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, yet there comes a point at which a player needs a fresh start. With Mats Hummels having been brought into the squad, it's hard to see Benatia starting in this Bayern side. He needs a change, and if the Hummels signing is an indicator, he'll get it.

Pierre Hojbjerg

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    Lars Poulsen/Associated Press

    Pierre Hojbjerg was once the brightest central midfield talent in the Bayern academy, but things have gone awry for the Dane over the last two years or so. He spent an only partially successful loan spell at Augsburg for half a term before having a poor year on loan at Schalke in 2015-16.

    There was a bit of an upturn in Hojbjerg's form late in the recent campaign, but it's not enough to give him a chance at developing. Bayern already have Joshua Kimmich and Renato Sanches as their young central midfielders; if Hojbjerg were to return, it's hard to see him getting playing time.

    It's a shame given his talent, but perhaps he will follow in the footsteps of ex-Bayern men Emre Can and Mitchell Weiser in developing his career in a less competitive setting after leaving Bayern.

Rafinha

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    Matthias Schrader/Associated Press

    Rafinha looked to be finished before Pep Guardiola's arrival in Munich three years ago, but the Catalan trainer somehow managed to get a few more positive years out of the Brazilian right-back. Yet at this point, it would be wiser for Bayern to look to the long-term future.

    Philipp Lahm may be approaching 33 years of age, but Rafinha is no spring chicken and will be 31 in September. Even if he has some time left, the former Schalke man is no longer an integral part of this Bayern team, and he probably wouldn't last three years under Ancelotti. Better to clean up shop now and try to look for long-term solutions than to stick with the aging Rafinha.

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