Grading Bayern Munich’s transfer window

After losing several key players to retirement, Bayern Munich used the transfer window to replace them. Here’s how we graded the club’s window.

Ins: Corentin Tolisso (€41.5 million, Lyon), Kingsley Coman (€21 million, Juventus), Niklas Süle (€20 million, Hoffenheim), James Rodríguez (loan fee €10 million, Real Madrid), Serge Gnabry (€8 million, Werder Bremen), Sebastian Rudy (free transfer, Hoffenheim), Marco Friedl, Felix Götze and Christian Früchtl (promoted from youth academy)

Bayern got an early start on the summer transfer window when they signed Hoffenheim’s Sebastian Rudy and Niklas Süle before last season ended. Süle was Hoffenheim’s first choice center-back the past two season and signed for a €20 million fee. While Bayern appear set at center-back with Mats Hummels, Jerome Boateng and Javi Martinez, injuries are a problem for Boateng and Martinez. The pair both missed games last year and are expected to miss the start of the season. Süle might not receive as much playing time at Bayern as he did with Hoffenheim but he’s the future of the position for the club and the German national team. Rudy arrived on a free transfer and could play a large role replacing Philipp Lahm and Xabi Alonso. Rudy has experience playing full-back and as a defensive midfielder and will likely see time at both positions this season.

Bayern set a club and Bundesliga transfer record signing Corentin Tolisso from Lyon for €41.5 million. Tolisso primarily played center midfielder for Lyon but also played right-back. Knowing that Lahm and Alonso were retiring, Bayern signed Rudy and Tolisso to be their replacements. Carlo Ancelotti is expected to play Tolisso as a central midfielder with Arturo Vidal dropping down and playing above the center-backs which should improve Bayern defensively.

Perhaps the most interesting move by Bayern this summer was signing James Rodriguez on loan. The offensively gifted Rodriguez previously played under Ancelotti at Real Madrid and that should help him integrate into the squad. With Thiago Alcantara entrenched as the first-choice attacking midfielder, Rodriguez will likely see the majority of his playing as a left-winger.

After an impressive season with Werder Bremen, Serge Gnabry activated a release clause in his contract allowing Bayern to buy the winger for €8 million. Gnabry was loaned to Hoffenheim, where he will get first-team minutes. Bayern signed Juventus’ Kingsley Coman to a two-year loan in 2015. This summer, Bayern decided to use their option to buy Coman for €21 million. Coman was impressive in his first season at the club under Pep Guardiola but saw his playing time decrease under Ancelotti. Bayern bought Gnabry and Coman with an eye for the future, as Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery are both entering their mid-30s and nearing the end of their careers.

Outs: Medhi Benatia (€17 million, Juventus), Douglas Costa (Loan fee €6 million, Juventus), Serge Gnabry (Loan fee €1 million, Hoffenheim), Gianluca Gaudino (€50,000, Chievo Verona), Holger Badstuber (Free, Stuttgart), Renates Sanches (Loan, Swansea), Xabi Alonso, Philipp Lahm and Tom Starke (Retired)

The retirements of Philipp Lahm and midfielder Xabi Alonso headline Bayern’s outgoing players. Lahm and Alonso were both regulars for Ancelotti last season, with each appearing in 38 games. Even if they were not the same players they were in their prime, the loss is still significant for Bayern.

Juventus signed Medhi Benatia on loan last season for a €3 million fee, with an option buy. After selling center-back Leonardo Bonucci to AC Milan, Juventus exercised their option to buy Benatia for €17 million. Benatia performed well his first season with Bayern but declined in his second season with the club and wanted to leave after Bayern signed Hummels. Juventus also signed Douglas Costa to a loan deal for €6 million, with an option to buy for €40 million. Costa looked like a future star for Bayern in his first season under Guardiola. However, under Ancelotti, Costa saw a significant drop in playing time and never looked like the same player. Costa was unhappy by the end of his second season in Munich and the move benefits everyone.

Bayern signed Renato Sanches after his impressive showing at the Euros with Portugal. However, the 20-year-old midfielder was never able to get regular playing time under Ancelotti. Swansea signed Sanches to a one-year loan deal that reunites him with former Bayern assistant Paul Clement. With Swansea, Sanches will get significantly more playing time against top competition that will help his development.

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Grade: A-

Bayern receive an A- grade because you can make an argument they improved upon every player they lost. The combination of Tolisso and Rudy are an upgrade over Lahm and Alonso, who had lost a step. Rodriguez is more talented than Costa and Süle is a better Bundesliga defender than Benatia. Bayern also made moves with an eye to the future. Signing Gnabry and Coman will pay dividends when Robben and Ribery leave. Getting Sanches more minutes with Swansea will only benefit his development.