[shaunzo7]

Philipp Lahm



Age: 24
Position: Wing-back (left or right)
Nationality: German
Current Club: Bayern Munich
Estimated Price Range: £8-12million



As you can see, very good disciplinary record, no red cards and very few yellow cards. There may be a slight lack of goals, but our different style at United would resolve that as we allow for the full-backs to push forward much more than most other teams. At 24, he's a great age too with plenty of time to develop further while also having had a good few years at the top level to gain plenty of experience for both club and country and on a European basis.

Apparently can speak good English, that's important. Knows Hargreaves from their time at Munich together since both were there from a very young age. Plays in a position we really need to fill, the right back position. I personally can't see Neville returning to the first team and probably wouldn't want him to as he lacks the pace going forward to support Ronaldo now. Especially with Brown's apparent summer departure we're going to need to fill right back even more because that leaves us with a dodgy Gary Neville, a good but young Danny Simpson and an Owen Hargreaves playing out of position.

Lahm would ease this problem as he's a great wing-back, great going forward and has a great shot on him too although he doesn't score too often. He's very versatile, can play left or right back which provides us with flexible options. He's been playing left back lately due to the lack of left-footed Germans wing-backs and although Lahm is right footed, his trade mark move is to bomb up the left wing, cut into the centre on his stronger foot and unleash a powerful shot. However, I think he'd be a great right back for us.

[20 Legend Claire]

Wouldn't mind this guy, haven't seen too much of him but saw a lot of him at the 2006 World Cup and he was very good then.
The fact he can play at left back aswell is a bonus, incase we ever need to switch him there.

[brethart14]

Wouldn't really be that comfortable with him and Evra in the same side in full-back positions. Santa Cruz gave Pat a tough time on Saturday... and the idea of having two short full-backs just doesn't fill me with confidence. However I haven't seen an awful lot of the lad, and he may be excellent in the air like say... Gary. Anyone know how good he is dealing with that kind of threat?

[Vidic15]

Quote

Bayern Munich have withdrawn the offer of a new contract to Philipp Lahm after failing to reach agreement with the Germany defender, who said on Tuesday he was eager to move abroad.Lahm's existing deal runs out at the end of next season and Bayern said in a statement that talks on an extension had not been successful.

Bayern must now decide whether to sell him at the end of this season or risk losing him on a free transfer in 2009.

Lahm, 24, who scored the first goal of the 2006 World Cup and is a regular for Germany, has been linked with Barcelona in local media reports.

"My plan is to leave Bayern before I'm past my peak," Lahm said in an interview with Stern magazine.

"I played for two years at Stuttgart and I'm in my third year at Bayern, the biggest German club. The logical next step is to go abroad."

Asked if he could leave at the end of this season, Lahm said: "That's quite possible".

Bayern, who won the German Cup on the weekend and have a 10-point lead in the Bundesliga with five matches to play, are already working on plans for next season.

On Tuesday they agreed to sell forward Jan Schlaudraff to Hanover 96 for an undisclosed fee.

The 24-year-old Schlaudraff broke into Germany's team last season but since moving to Bayern before the start of this campaign he has featured in only six league games.

Source: TWG

Another spanner in the works.

[Foxy]

I rate him, we love signing players who can play in more than one position, he ticks that box, he's also got pace and a good shot and cross so can link up with Ronaldo on the right well.

I agree with Brethart though, two short full backs? But are there any particuarly tall full backs available? The fact we have Hargreaves here who moved only this season might give us a slight advantage if we wanted to sign him. How willing would Bayern be to sell to United again though? Hopefully if we did try and sign him it wouldn't take as long as the Hargro saga.

[Vidic15]

Foxy, on Apr 24 2008, 12:33 AM, said:

I rate him, we love signing players who can play in more than one position, he ticks that box, he's also got pace and a good shot and cross so can link up with Ronaldo on the right well.

I agree with Brethart though, two short full backs? But are there any particuarly tall full backs available? The fact we have Hargreaves here who moved only this season might give us a slight advantage if we wanted to sign him. How willing would Bayern be to sell to United again though? Hopefully if we did try and sign him it wouldn't take as long as the Hargro saga.

Tall full-backs aren't that important in the modern game. In terms of heading guys like Tim Cahill have shown you don't need to be tall to jump, comes more down to agility and so forth.

I'd rather have a full-back who is assured in defence and attack, and is good on the ball. Lahm fits the bill.

[Foxy]

he Spanish sports paper ‘As’ has reported that the defender has come to agreement with the Catalan giants over a four year contract.

What is unclear though is whether the 24 year old will join this summer for a fee, or arrive next summer on a free transfer.

“Philipp Lahm has a contract with us until 2009 and I believe that he will fulfil it” commented Bayern Chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.

The German club recently withdrew their offer of an extension to the international’s contract after his demands were deemed to high. Lahm looks set to be a direct replacement for Gianluca Zambrotta, who is poised to return to his homeland, probably with AC Milan.

Even though Bayern manager Uli Hoeneß explained that the club’s decision to withdraw the contract offer didn’t mean the door was closed on Lahm, the player admitted in an interview with ‘Stern’ that his mind was made up.

“My decision is set. My career plan means that one day I will leave FC Bayern and not just when I have reached my peak” he said.

“For me the logical step is play abroad.”

Goal.com

Maybe too late?

[Vidic15]

Philipp Lahm pledges his future to Bayern

Quote

Friday brought two pieces of good news for Philipp Lahm. On the one hand, he was called up as expected by Germany coach Joachim Löw to the national squad for EURO 2008 in Austria and Switzerland this summer. And on the eve of the last match of the 2007-8 Bundesliga season, he agreed the terms of a three-year extension to his current contract with champions Bayern, keeping him in Munich until 30 June 2012.

"I'm delighted about it, otherwise I wouldn't have done it,“ Lahm commented ahead of a final pre-match training session on Friday. Talks with the board and incoming coach Jürgen Klinsmann in recent weeks had been "very productive. I sense a real new beginning here, and that's what persuaded me,“ he told the respected Süddeutsche Zeitung.

Current boss Ottmar Hitzfeld welcomed the 24-year-old international's decision to pull on a red jersey for the foreseeable future. "I'm delighted for Philipp Lahm and for Bayern. This is naturally the best decision he could have made - a Bavarian is staying at Bayern,“ the General commented in his final pre-match news conference at the Säbener Strasse. "The future belongs to Philipp Lahm. He's a terrific player, and already one of the best in the world.“

Only four weeks ago, Bayern withdrew an initial contract extension offer after talks stalled and the player allowed a deadline to pass without a decision. However, the board never gave up hope of reaching agreement with the Munich-born full-back. "I'm very optimistic that Philipp will remain at Bayern beyond 2009,“ chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge told the tz tabloid last Friday.

FCBayern

[Foxy]

Hmm so much for that rumour, shame.

[PenguinLover]

It seems Klinsmaan managed to convince him.. I was really hoping he would join us..