Boost for Barcelona as Bayern Munich close to signing replacement for midfield target

With the start of the summer transfer window just around the corner, the future of Joshua Kimmich appears to be more and more away from Bayern Munich.

The midfielder’s contract at Allianz Arena expires in 2025 and everything suggests he will leave the club in the summer.

Barcelona are among the clubs in contention to sign Kimmich, even though signing the German international could cost a fortune.

Bayern Munich close to securing a replacement

As uncertainty over Kimmich’s future at Bayern continues, Sky Sports Florian Plettenberg has offered an important update.

As per Plettenberg (h/t SPORT), Bayern Munich are on the verge of securing the services of Joao Palhinha, who is widely regarded as the replacement for Kimmich.

Bayern Munich are in advanced talks with Fulham surrounding the transfer of the Portuguese international. The player, for his part, has a total agreement with Bayern over personal terms.

Everything suggests Palhinha will join Bayern Munich this summer, with the midfielder likely to sign a contract until 2028.

Good news for Barcelona

Bayern Munich’s capture of Joao Palhinha will confirm the departure of Joshua Kimmich, which is a major boost for Barcelona.

However, there are far too many obstacles for the Catalans in their bid to sign the German international.

For one, Bayern are paying a fortune for Palhinha and are more than likely to offload Kimmich for a high amount, as they look to recoup the investment. Recent reports indicate a fee of around €30-40 million.

But, Kimmich is likely to command a higher salary package, which might not be sustainable for Barcelona.

However, these are still early days and it will be interesting to see how Barça utilise their economic levers, as they look to bring in fresh funds that can enable the club to sign new players.