Since Sergio Busquets left FC Barcelona, the club has been searching for a midfielder to fill his role. Over the past two years, they’ve been linked with several players, but Bayern Munich’s Joshua Kimmich has been a prominent name in those discussions.
Kimmich’s contract with Bayern expires at the end of this season, and negotiations for a renewal have faced challenges. At times, it seemed he would leave Munich in 2025, but recent developments suggest otherwise.
According to Spanish outlet SPORT, citing German newspaper Bild, Kimmich is now leaning towards renewing his contract with Bayern, especially after the appointment of Vincent Kompany as coach. The club has also offered him the captaincy in the new deal.
His on-field performances indicate he’s more at ease under the new management and has faced less criticism than in recent months. Consequently, the speculation linking him to Barcelona may soon come to an end. Both Xavi and Flick have expressed admiration for Kimmich as a potential successor to Busquets.
However, Barcelona’s financial limitations and Bayern’s asking price made the transfer unlikely. Additionally, the emergence of Marc Bernal and Marc Casado has reduced the urgency for Kimmich’s signing.
Real Madrid has also shown interest in Kimmich as they seek a replacement for Toni Kroos, but it seems Bayern may ultimately retain him in the coming weeks.
