KOMPANY'S CHOICE: BAYERN JOINS RACE FOR BELGIAN STAR NATHAN DE CAT

Bayern Munich are tracking Anderlecht's 17-year-old Belgian midfielder Nathan De Cat. The Bundesliga giants face competition from Dortmund and Leverkusen for the €25m-rated deep-lying playmaker.

Kompany's Choice: Bayern Joins Race For Belgian Star Nathan De Cat
Nathan De Cat is a World Class Talent

During the international breaks, there are excessive rumours about transfers. Bayern Munich, however, is keeping a close eye on a few of the youthful talents. Nathan De Cat, a gifted 17-year-old, has piqued the curiosity of the reigning Bundesliga champions.

Florian Plettenberg and Patrick Berger claim that Anderlecht is requesting around €25 million for one of the most talented players in club history. In order to recruit this highly anticipated midfield player, Bayern will have to contend with Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen, two other Bundesliga titans.

The Belgian midfielder may eventually take Leon Goretzka's spot at the Allianz Arena when his contract ends next summer.

De Cat is a trigger-happy midfielder with excellent physicality, and he and Goretzka have many face-value parallels. The 17-year-old Belgian wonderkid has a body designed for elite football and is already almost 6'3". However, it would be evident from seeing him play that he resembles Joshua Kimmich more than Leon Goretzka.

Because of his exceptional playstyle, Nathan De Cat is a tactical fit for Vincent Kompany's Bayern.

Nathan De Cat's passing statistics might lead someone to conclude that he is a horrible person. They rank in the bottom 10% of midfielders in the top 14 competitions with just 37 passes attempted per game and a pitiful 72% completion rate.

His tape, however, demonstrates the logic behind these disappointing figures. In any midfield setup, De Cat often sits the deepest and tries a lot of long balls and line-breaking passes to swiftly advance the ball to the opposition's penalty area.

De Cat likes to sit deep in build-up situations, spraying long switches and through balls to set up wingers in high-risk scenarios. Unlike the McTominays or the Fellainis, he is not your classic long, physical box crasher.

This type of play has a price: while taking more chances can result in greater rewards, it also increases the likelihood of errant passes.

Nathan De Cat's game clearly demonstrates the potential in the area of creating opportunities. The young Belgian can develop into one of the most skilled players in the game under the guidance of Joshua Kimmich, one of the top deep-lying playmakers in the world.

De Cat's ability to read the game and make quick decisions is one of its most amazing features.

He can manoeuvre through more confined spaces and disrupt the opponent's pressing strategy thanks to his beautiful first touch and turn.

The Belgian U17 player is at ease making one-touch passes at any distance and enjoys them as well.

Vincent Kompany's quick build-up, which makes extensive use of touch-and-go and one-two punches between players, may be ideal for De Cat.

Nathan De Cat does not contribute particularly well when not in possession, even though he primarily plays as a defensive midfielder in a double pivot at Anderlecht.

When it comes to tackling and intercepting the football, he is subpar. Considering his enormous height, his aerial duels are very lacklustre.

His agility, which occasionally prevents him from tracking back and making turns on the defensive end, is also questioned by some evaluators. He obviously has some trouble keeping an eye on his long physique and making the most of it when playing defence.

Still an untapped skill...

Having said that, for a 17-year-old player, he possesses a remarkably diverse skill set. De Cat will undoubtedly get better in the years to come now that he has some elite experience in the Belgian league.

At this age, he has an exceptional football IQ and is already quite at ease in the modern game.

He is still extremely young, and a good coaching team can readily address his shortcomings.

Imagine the midfield with Pavlovic, Bischof, Musiala, and De Cat. Delicious!

MATTHAUS WARNS KOMPANY: DO NOT CHANGE ATTACKING STYLE DESPITE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE EXIT

Bayern have secured the Bundesliga! Read why Matthaus wants more "spectacular football" despite the 6-5 aggregate loss to PSG.

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Matthaus Demands Loyalty To Kompany’s Aggressive Tactical Vision - Photo Credit: IMAGO/Markus Ulmer

Lothar Matthaus has called on Vincent Kompany to continue with his attacking style, despite Bayern Munich's exit from the Champions League at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain. The German legend feels Bayern’s entertaining approach shouldn’t be altered even though their defence showed vulnerabilities during the 6-5 aggregate loss in the semi-finals.

After conceding six goals over two legs, Bayern’s Champions League run came to an end. While the defeat exposed defensive issues, it also highlighted the offensive strategy Kompany has brought to the team. These defensive struggles aren’t limited to Europe either; high-scoring Bundesliga matches, like the 4-3 win over Mainz and the 3-3 draw with Heidenheim, have revealed a back line that’s still trying to find the right balance between taking risks and maintaining solidity.

Matthaus, who once captained Bayern, stresses that the club should stick with Kompany’s attacking mindset, even if it leaves them open at the back. He pointed out, “With such an attacking style of play, you can't defend everything, of course. Yes, they've conceded quite a few goals, but they’re still having a successful season and are close to winning the double. They’ve even made it to the Champions League semi-finals.”

The return of excitement at the Allianz Arena was clear, especially during the second leg when Ousmane Dembele’s early goal stunned the crowd. Although Harry Kane’s late equaliser wasn’t enough to turn the tie around, Matthaus sees positives in the bigger picture. He believes Bayern has brought back the thrill and flair fans expect.

“While Bayern didn’t play their best in the semi-final second leg against PSG, they have entertained throughout the year. I look forward to their matches because they’re usually packed with goals. Bayern stands for spectacular football, and this season has been no different. I wouldn’t move away from that style,” Matthaus shared.

With the focus shifting back to domestic competitions, Bayern have already secured the Bundesliga championship. They still have two league games left against Wolfsburg and Koln before preparing for the DFB-Pokal final against Stuttgart on May 23.

BAYERN MUNICH RULE OUT MARCUS RASHFORD MOVE REGARDLESS OF ANTHONY GORDON OUTCOME

Marcus Rashford is not a target for Bayern Munich this summer, as the club focuses entirely on signing Gordon from Newcastle.

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Bayern Munich excluded Marcus Rashford from their summer plans - Photo Credit: Getty Images

Bayern Munich aren’t considering a move for Marcus Rashford this summer, no matter what happens with Anthony Gordon. That’s according to a German reporter who’s close to the story.

Right now, Rashford is wrapping up his loan at Barcelona. He’s set to return to Manchester United at the end of the season. Barcelona have an option to make the deal permanent for €30 million (£26 million) in the summer. Both Rashford and Barcelona want him to stay, but here’s the catch: the club doesn’t want to pay the full €30 million.

Barcelona would rather keep Rashford on loan for another year or get him for a lower fee. Manchester United’s not having it. They want the full price, so Barcelona are starting to look at other players.

Rashford hasn’t made a secret of where he wants to be. Earlier in the season, he told Sport, one of the local Barcelona papers, about how much he wants to stay, saying, “Of course, what I want is to stay at Barca. It’s the ultimate goal.” He talked about the pressure and expectations at the club, saying they keep him motivated and that he feels like he’s in the perfect environment to grow and win trophies. For now, though, it’s all up in the air until next summer.

Last year, Bayern Munich actually showed some interest in Rashford before he went to Barcelona. But now, they’re focused on signing Anthony Gordon from Newcastle United for the left wing. The problem is, Gordon’s interested, but Newcastle’s price is ridiculous, reportedly around £80 million (€92.6 million). That’s much higher than what Bayern’s willing to pay. They’re thinking closer to £60 million (€69.4 million), and maybe with add-ons or an instalment plan. If Newcastle won’t budge, it probably isn’t happening.

Christian Falk, a trusted journalist from Bild, says Bayern aren’t considering Rashford as a backup if they can’t land Gordon. Bayern’s got a short list of players for the left wing, and Rashford isn’t on it. Gordon’s their main focus, but even if that deal falls through, Rashford’s not the next in line.

So at this stage, Bayern and Rashford won’t be coming together this summer, even if Gordon stays at Newcastle. That’s just not in the plans.

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