Bayern Munich's Worried Squad: Is Kane's Biggest Obstacle to European Glory?

Bayern Munich are back on the trophy trail, an achievement that for now masks the growing concerns about the current Bayern squadAfter comfortably snatching the Bundesliga title from Bayer Leverkusen last season, Vincent Kompany opened his new campaign with a 2-1 German Super Cup win over Stuttgart, thanks to goals from Harry Kane and new signing Luis Díaz.

It wasn't a memorable performance, but it was understandable given Bayern's shortened preseason due to their participation in the extended Club World Cup. Kane was at the center of the celebrations after the final whistle. "Here we are, the first of the season," the England captain wrote on social media. "Oh, that feels so good."

However, once the euphoria of securing a second trophy in four months had passed, Kane expressed concern about the team's lack of depth and pressed the board to make more signings. "It's probably one of the smallest squads I've ever played in. There's still time until the transfer window closes, and Max Eberl, Christoph [Freund], and the manager could make decisions," he told reporters. "We have some young players who have done very well in preseason. We're a little tight, but that's not within the players' control."

That last part was an understatement. Kompany only has 22 fit first-team players at the moment, and Bayern have just two weeks left to bring in reinforcements, as the summer window closes on September 1. If they don't, the ultimate goal of Champions League glory will be out of reach for the German champions in 2025-26, regardless of whether Kane continues to perform in attack. The current state of the Bayern squad It is a serious warning.

Lack of offensive planning

Bayern spent £66 million ($89 million) to sign Díaz from Liverpool, a shrewd move. The Colombian winger was key to the Reds' Premier League title last season and could be an upgrade over Leroy Sané, who left for Galatasaray in June. Díaz had an excellent debut, and Kane praised him after the Super Cup: “You can see what he brings in one-on-one situations. He’s very quick, very agile. The goal was a great run and a great finish.”

The combination of Kane, Díaz, Michael Olise, and Serge Gnabry was too much for Stuttgart, but Bayern must pray that everyone stays fit until January. This is because club legend Thomas Müller has joined the Vancouver Whitecaps, while Kingsley Coman completed a move to Al-Nassr. This has depleted an attack that is also currently without star playmaker Jamal Musiala, who remains sidelined recovering from surgery on a broken ankle. The limited Bayern squad it is especially felt in the front.

Kane needs more support

Kane was Bayern's main source of goals last season, netting 40 times in all competitions. But when the former Tottenham man had a bad day, so did Bayern. For the team to become a serious contender in Europe again, Kane needs more support, especially following Müller's departure. Unfortunately, the club's attempts to replace the German have been unsuccessful. Nick Woltemade was their first target, but Stuttgart have already rejected three offers, the latest worth €60 million. They also had a loan proposal for Christopher Nkunku from Chelsea rejected. It is foolish to go into the season without a backup number 9, which increases the risk of fatigue or injury for the 32-year-old Kane. The structure of the Bayern squad does not seem to offer the necessary guarantees.

Defensive concerns

There are also doubts about the quality of Bayern's defense, despite the addition of Jonathan Tah from Leverkusen. Although Tah has been one of Germany's best defenders, his inclusion ahead of Kim Min-jae could backfire. Kim, though prone to error, is better suited to Kompany's high-line system due to his speed and agility, attributes that Tah lacks.

The situation at full-back is even more alarming. With Alphonso Davies out until October with an ACL injury, Josip Stanisic has been filling in for the role, despite feeling more comfortable on the right flank, now occupied by Austrian midfielder Konrad Laimer. The club's confusing transfer strategy is forcing Kompany to improvise with a Bayern squad unbalanced.

Kane's final season?

According to Sports picture, Bayern's board sees "no compelling reason" for more signings, despite allowing 11 players to leave and making only three additions. Although Bayern remain favorites for the Bundesliga, they will be judged on their performance in the Champions League. If the team fails again in Europe, they could struggle to retain Kane beyond this season. The Englishman has a €74 million release clause that will be activated next summer, and is rumored to be considering a return to the Premier League. The lack of ambition reflected in the Bayern squad could be the trigger.

The temptation to surpass Alan Shearer's Premier League goalscoring record will be hard to resist if Bayern remain stagnant. To prevent their star from leaving, the Bundesliga giants must offer a project that matches his ambition. Added to this is the fact that Bayern's attractiveness as a destination appears to have diminished, having failed in attempts to sign players such as Nico Williams, Rafael Leao and Florian Wirtz. If the directors do not heed Kane's warning about the limitations of the Bayern squad, the history of failures in Europe could be repeated this season.