Bayern Munich tap Inter Milan’s Ivan Perisic as a solution to their winger problem.
Bayern Munich continue preparing for the upcoming Bundesliga season and with the transfer window still open, the club hope to have filled a position of need by acquiring Ivan Perisic from Serie A side, Inter Milan.
According to the BBC, the agreement is a one-year loan with an option to buy at the end of the season. The 30-year old Croatian winger has had a tumultuous time at Inter where he has not been as decisive for the club as they would have hoped. Off-the-field, he’s had his share of issues with Mauro Icardi and his wife/agent but he is far from the only one. A few seasons back, he was even rumored with a possible lucrative move to Manchester United.
He is not in Antonio Conte’s plan and his future now lies with the German giants. Perisic fills a need up top for the Bavarian side as they were in the market for wingers. This comes at the heels of losing two stalwarts for the club in Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery. However, his signing has elicited mixed reactions.
Bayern Munich had long been rumored with a move for Manchester City’s Leroy Sane and despite being confident that a deal would be reached, it never culminated and now Sane is set to miss a lengthy period of time due to injury.
The criticism has to do with Perisic’s age and the fact that he was not the club’s first choice. His signing, even though it is on loan, is seen as a disappointment by Bayern supporters. Manager Niko Kovac was asked about that criticism.
According to The Guardian, he said, “This debate is basically wrong. Every player deserves some respect. It is too easy to always criticize someone. First you don’t sign someone and then not the next one either then you suddenly have a XY-solution. That is not good.”
Bayern’s sporting director, Hasan Salihamidzic, echoed similar sentiments and highlighter Perisic’s experience at the international level and his versatility.
While his move has raised a couple of eyebrows, it’s a relatively low-risk move and if he does not pan out, then they simply won’t exercise the option. But Bayern may not be done as they have also been rumored with a potential loan of Barcelona’s Philippe Coutinho. Should that go through, it would be a significant addition and one their supporters believe a club of their caliber should be making.