Bayern Munich contract chaos has potential to derail Harry Kane era as Joshua Kimmich, Alphonso Davies and more edge towards summer transfers

This whole thing can be traced back to March 2023. The Bavarians weren't exactly struggling under the tutelage of then-manager Julian Nagelsmann. But they weren't thriving, either. Dortmund, at the time, were top of the league, while a misfiring Bayern squad couldn't quite piece together a valuable run. In the end, the inconsistency cost Nagelsmann his job, the groovy, skateboard-riding German sent packing on a rather inconspicuous Thursday night - just over a fortnight before a Champions League knockout game.

Of course, Nagelsmann hadn't been helped by some of Bayern's most high-profile players. Thomas Muller was his usual vocal self, while Manuel Neuer, not long removed from a season-ending broken leg, lambasted the Bavarian setup in an interview with the Athletic in January of last year.

Then, there was the Sadio Mane situation. The club's marquee signing of the summer of 2022 was known for his good nature and calm at Liverpool, but became an agent of chaos in Germany. First, he was involved in a heavy argument with Nagelsmann after limited playing time against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League. Then, he reportedly punched Sane in the dressing room after a heavy loss to Manchester City.

Tuchel had taken charge by that point and seemed a shrewd replacement. The manager had ended his three previous jobs - Borussia Dortmund, PSG and Chelsea - in poor circumstances. But he was also a stern man-manager, who could grasp a divided locker room. And he made things work, bringing Bayern the title.

However, their Bundesliga triumph owed much to Dortmund's final-day collapse - and it did little to heal the deep fractures at the club.

Both CEO Oliver Kahn and sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic lost their jobs within hours of the Bavarians clinching the league title on the final day. In the ensuing weeks, it was revealed that all contract negotiations had been put on hold. Davies, already linked with a move away, saw discussions shelved. It was the same story with Kimmich and, even more worryingly, Musiala, a future star who needed to be locked down.

Kahn and Salihamidzic may have overseen a turbulent season, but they still had the valuable trust of both the squad and the agents who oversaw them. Negotiations had been difficult for Davies, while Musiala wasn't easy to appease. But the duo figured to be able to get things done. Instead, everything came to standstill.

Kimmich was the first to see his place put under pressure. Kane was Bayern's marquee summer singing, but Tuchel had ambitions to improve the squad elsewhere. Defensive midfield was targeted as a key area. It made little sense, especially given the presence of Kimmich, a world-class No.6, who could also play at full-back. Still, Tuchel saw the versatile German as a weakness, while outside voices also piled on. German legend Lothar Matthaus's assessment was perhaps the most damaging. "Not only is he no longer as present on the pitch, he is also no longer as present after the game. He hides," he said.

Consequently, Tuchel pursued Joao Pahlinha, a player in a different mould to Kimmich, notably stronger in the areas in which the German was falling short. The Fulham man made the most tackles in the Premier League, 147, in 2022-23, besting second-placed Moises Caicedo by 47.

Kimmich was increasingly a finesse player, a ghostly presence. Tuchel wanted a hard-nosed destroyer. Pahlinha was that man. The move ended up falling apart on deadline day last summer, Pahlinha flying all the way to Munich, undergoing media duties, and doing everything short of putting pen to paper before being sent home when Fulham couldn't sign a viable replacement in time.

While Kimmich has still been a regular this year, it's obvious that the 28-year-old, once viewed as the crowning jewel of German football's 1995 class, is now expendable. Transfer rumours have since emerged, with the defensive midfielder linked with a move to fill the still-vacant role left by Sergio Busquets in Barcelona. And although being linked to Catalunya is hardly a novel concept for a footballer of any age, there is a real sense that he could depart.

Davies finds himself in a similar situation, albeit more of his own making. The left-back's agent has publicly speculated about a move to Real Madrid for months now, while the player himself has done admittedly little to distance him from that claim.

The wing-back's assist numbers have returned to their usual levels after a difficult 2022-23 campaign. But he has struggled at the other end of the pitch, and still looks well short of the player that proved instrumental in Bayern's sextuple-winning season in 2020.

Madrid, meanwhile, have reportedly encouraged Davies to shy away from penning a new deal, and are eager to see him run down a contract set to expire in 2025. Los Blancos aren't exactly short at left-back, but view Davies as part of a fruitful summer, in which they will also target Kylian Mbappe.

Bayern have denied those rumours but are still wary of a potential departure.

"There has been speculation for a long time. Phonzy has a contract with us until 2025. I am convinced that he really enjoys playing for FC Bayern. We would really like him to stay at Bayern longer. We will have talks,” sporting director Christoph Freund told Bild.

De Ligt is also in a precarious spot. The centre-back was one of Nagelsmann's big signings, brought in from Juventus for €77 million (£65m/$79m) in 2022. At the time, he was a presumptive future star, the long-term partner for Virgil van Dijk in the Netherlands' back-line. Bayern had their centre-back of a generation. Nagelsmann's sacking changed things, though.

"I didn't see it coming and I was surprised. We're second in the league, in the quarter-finals of the cup and in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. Everything's still in there," the Netherlands international toldNOS in March 2023. "Those in charge decide who the coach is, but it was a tough pill to swallow. But I also believe that Tuchel is a coach who suits us."

But Tuchel hasn't taken to De Ligt in the same way. He saw his minutes reduced when the new manager came in, and has only made four starts so far this year, firmly behind Kim Min Jae and Dayot Upamecano in the pecking order. There are reports that the manager doesn't like De Ligt's style, complaining that he is too slow in build-up play.

De Ligt has expressed his displeasure, angrily storming out of the dressing room following Bayern's 4-3 win over Man United in the Champions League - a game in which he was an unused substitute. Unsurprisingly, transfer talk has begun in earnest.

There are other question marks, too and not just over Musiala. Sane's future is also the subject of speculation, despite being one of the few players to thrive under Tuchel. The same goes for the out-of-form Serge Gnabry, who could be sold either this month or in the summer.

Help is reportedly at hand, though. The Bavarians were without a clear sporting director for nine months after Salihamidzic's departure. They have recently found their man, with renowned negotiator Max Eberl set to start by no later than April 1. His impact on any potential winter transfers will be minimal, it seems. But when it comes to contract negotiations, Eberl seems the right man for the job, having developed good relationships at first Borussia Monchengladbach, then RB Leipzig.

This is particularly good news for Kane. He expected to walk into a side that would help him compete for Europe's biggest prizes. His move away from Spurs could be attributed to many things, but it was the desire to finally get his hands on some silverware that ultimately brought him to Bavaria. Now, with uncertainty rife within the ranks, there isn't a clear path to a medal this season. If the squad remains as unstable as it seems, his prospects won't improve too much in the future, either.

The personal numbers have been impressive so far: 16 games, 22 goals, five assists. He is on pace to break Robert Lewandowski's goalscoring record (41, set in 2021.) He is in good touch ahead of Euro 2024 - a tournament England will be among the favourites to win.

But this move was all about relying on the strength of the team around him. And that stability he once coveted is starting to waver. Success might not be as immediate as Kane expected.