Hiroki Itō’s future at Bayern Munich appears to be increasingly uncertain.
Speaking about the defender’s situation, board member for sport Max Eberl made it clear that the club is not actively pushing Itō out the door, but would be willing to facilitate a transfer if the Japanese international believes his path to regular playing time has become too difficult.
“If Hiroki Itō starts thinking about a move because he himself realizes that breaking into the team will be difficult, then we’ll work on that.
We’ve now strengthened the left side with Nene (in addition to Davies), and at centre-back we naturally have three outstanding players in Min-jae, Jona and Upa,” Eberl told Bild (as captured by @iMiaSanMia).
Those comments paint a clear picture of where Itō currently stands in Bayern Munich’s defensive hierarchy. On the left, Alphonso Davies and new signing Nathaniel “Nene” Brown are expected to compete for minutes. In central defense, Kim Min-jae, Jonathan Tah, and Dayot Upamecano appear to be ahead of Itō as things stand.
According to Bild, Bayern Munich would be looking for around €20 million to sell Itō, although there have been no concrete offers for the 27-year-old so far.
It is not necessarily a surprising development considering Itō’s struggle to stay healthy. Injuries limited Itō’s impact during his first season, and Bayern’s summer additions have only made competition for places even tougher.
The transfer window still has time remaining, so Itō’s future is far from decided. The biggest question now is whether he wants to stay and fight for his place or pursue a move where regular playing time is more attainable.
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