Who will replace Robben, Ribery and Lahm? Bayern must not lose Shaqiri and Hojbjerg
The Bavarians must replace a number of ageing stars in the near future and ensure they keep hold of two of their young stars


The injury problems suffered by the likes of Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Franck Ribery and
Arjen Robben over the last few months is a wake-up call to Bayern Munich to begin to plan for the future.

Though the quartet have been the inspiration behind much of the success achieved under Louis van Gaal, Jupp Heynckes and current coach Pep Guardiola, all four of them are over 30 and beginning to enter the tail end of their careers.

And yet, two of the brightest prospects in Bavaria, Xherdan Shaqiri and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, could soon be leaving the club, frustrated by the limited opportunities they have received this term.

Shaqiri’s case is the more puzzling of the two. In his first season at the club in 2012-13, he offered a much-needed alternative to Robben, Ribery and Thomas Muller on both flanks as Bayern fought successfully on all three fronts.

This rotation, which saw him score eight goals in 39 appearances in all competitions, suited the Swiss youngster. Arriving from Basel, he was not accustomed to the pressures that come with playing for a club the size of Bayern. Being eased into the first team and learning from more experienced team-mates was in everyone's interest.

But things have regressed since then. Stuck behind the irrepressible Robben, last season Shaqiri made just 17 appearances in the Bundesliga and he is now nothing more than a backup player. The 23-year-old looked set to leave in the summer, only for Bayern to block the sale, with Juventus and Liverpool among his reported suitors.



“Liverpool made a bid for me before the World Cup yet Bayern put their foot down and told me: ‘we’re not going to sell you’,” he said in September.

Their stance has changed, though, with club legend Franz Beckenbauer saying this week: “Bayern have already sent out a signal and indicated to him that he can probably go in the winter break if he wants.”

The club’s honorary president’s next statement was telling. “I think it’s a shame because he is a great talent.”

Bayern could well live to regret the decision.

Ribery is in good form at the moment, but had been on a steady decline over the course of 2014 after missing out on his coveted Ballon d’Or. Injuries have hardly helped his situation and his international retirement is as good a signal as any that he feels the need to manage his body.

Robben’s renaissance since his winning goal in the 2013 Champions League final shows no signs of subsiding but the Dutchman’s chequered injury history is hardly an indication of a player who has many years left ahead of him.

Shaqiri is a combination of the two, with the desire to beat players and motor down the wing like Ribery - as well as cut inside and utilise his brilliant left foot just like Robben. Who better to step in and eventually succeed either of them than their long-time understudy