Joshua Kimmich Defends 'Dissatisfied' Thomas Muller as Forward Nears Bayern Exit

Bayern Munich star Joshua Kimmich has shed some light on the situation of Thomas Muller in Bavaria as rumours of a January move for the latter gather pace.

The forward progressed through the Die Roten youth setup, before breaking into the first-team as a teenager, going on to win eight Bundesliga titles, as well as the 2012/13 Champions League. However, coach Niko Kovac has grown impatient with his indifferent form this campaign, refusing to include Muller in any of Bayern's starting lineups since 14 September.

Following a 1-1 draw away to RB Leipzig, Kovac made the decision to oust the 30-year-old from his first-choice XI, triggering speculation that Muller could leave the Allianz Arena once the winter transfer window opens.

Kimmich was involved in Germany's clash with Argentina on Wednesday, with the midfielder addressing his teammate's frustrations after the match. He told reporters (as quoted by ​AS): "I only know ​FC Bayern with Thomas Muller. 

"Without him, the club would not be where it is now. I don't know if he wants to go or not. I can understand that he claims to want to play. I know what it's like to sit on the bench.

"With [former manager] Carlo Ancelotti, I also sat on the bench several times," Kimmich explained. "It's completely normal for a player to be dissatisfied. His claim is that this should not always be the case. That's clear, of course.

"It's the case that when he comes on, he always plays well. In the last game, he created another goal. Also in the games before.

"Against Cologne or Mainz, he created two and also scored a goal. We all know that he has qualities that are difficult for the opponent to control."

Muller has been integral to Bayern's domination of the ​Bundesliga over the last decade, having made a total of 495 appearances for the club in all competitions.

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