Trading Places: Position change stunner incoming for Bayern Munich’s Joshua Kimmich?

According to a report from Sport Bild’s Christian Falk and Tobi Altschäffl (as captured by @iMiaSanMia), Joshua Kimmich will no longer be playing the No. 6 position for Bayern Munich after this season.

Instead, Kimmich will move up in the formation to play the No. 8 role, which will allow him to get more involved in the attack:

The times where Joshua Kimmich plays in front of the back four are over. Thomas Tuchel – and the people in charge – want Kimmich in a more advanced role to get the most out of his qualities, which is why a new holding midfielder is a priority.

The natural question to ask after reading that is, “So…what does that mean for Leon Goretzka…and Ryan Gravenberch…and Konrad Laimer…and Marcel Sabitzer?”

All of a sudden, Bayern Munich has a team full of No. 8s in what will like be a formation where only one No. 8 is needed.

In a nutshell: Yikes!

Gravenberch is already unhappy, so this should be the final nail in the coffin for his patience with Bayern Munich. Laimer now seems like a completely useless pickup and Sabitzer should transfer away this summer, but his latest injury could complicate matters.

Most notably, Goretzka, who has been Bayern Munich’s box-to-box stalwart since he first consistently joined the starting lineup back in 2020, will be out of a job — and a spot on the bench at his age (28) is probably not something he will accept.

Aside of a new holding midfielder joining the club this summer, there will likely be more movement from that logjam at the No. 8 position as well.