Gnabry misses out on his special "treble" at Bayern Munich! A duo on Lennart Karl's trail?

2021: Stanisic makes a splash for the first time

After major tournaments, Bayern Munich always start summer training without a number of key players. That opened the door for two youngsters under new coach Julian Nagelsmann: Josip Stanisic and Tanguy Nianzou.

Then 21 and a product of the academy, Stanisic had already made his first-team debut the previous season. He then took advantage of Benjamin Pavard's injury and even started at right-back in the Bundesliga opener against Borussia Mönchengladbach. Stanisic picked up more appearances in the weeks that followed, but once Pavard recovered, he took back his regular place. Stanisic first stayed in the rotation before returning to Munich in 2023/24 from his loan spell at Bayer Leverkusen with a completely new status.

Nianzou had joined from Paris Saint-Germain in 2020 as one of the most promising defensive talents in world football. After a debut season disrupted by injuries and suspensions, the summer of 2021 looked like his moment. It wasn't. His strong pre-season turned out to be nothing more than a brief flash in the pan. In 2023, Nianzou moved to Sevilla FC, and since this summer he has been playing for Lille OSC.

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2022: Sabitzer and Gravenberch shine only briefly

"If you want, you can call him the winner of pre-season," said Nagelsmann in August 2022, and by "him" he meant Marcel Sabitzer. The Austrian midfielder had disappointed in his first season at Bayern Munich and was already seen as a candidate for sale. Then, with Leon Goretzka injured, he suddenly hit top form in pre-season 2022. Sabitzer's revival didn't last. He quickly slipped back down the pecking order, moved on loan to Manchester United in the winter and then joined Borussia Dortmund permanently in the summer of 2023.

Another midfielder also caught the eye in the summer of 2022: new signing Ryan Gravenberch. Like Sabitzer, the then 19-year-old Dutchman benefited from Goretzka's injury. In the end, though, Goretzka "survived" not only Sabitzer but also Gravenberch. Frustrated by too few opportunities, he moved on to Liverpool FC after just one season in Munich, where he developed into a top player.

Pavard also found himself under scrutiny at Bayern Munich in the summer of 2022. The bosses reportedly considered selling him, but Nagelsmann argued for him to stay. At right-back, the Frenchman beat new signing Noussair Mazraoui to a starting place and went on to have a good season. The following summer, with Nagelsmann replaced by Thomas Tuchel, Pavard himself pushed for a move. He got it and joined Inter Milan.

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2023: Laimer instead of a "holding six" and Tel as Kane stand-in

The summer of 2023 revolved around the poker over Harry Kane and Thomas Tuchel's desire for a "holding six". In the background, two pre-season winners emerged.

First up was Mathys Tel. While Munich waited for Kane to arrive and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting recovered from his knee joint problems, the then 18-year-old Frenchman became the first-choice striker in pre-season. Once Kane signed, Tel naturally slipped into the background. In the following season, though, he established himself as a very clinical joker.

At the same time, Tuchel kept pushing for the signing of a "holding six", while free transfer arrival Konrad Laimer reeled off one strong display after another in the friendlies. "The discussion about the number six does not arise for me at all, because I believe Laimer is a transfer we will have very, very, very great joy from," said club patron Uli Hoeneß. In the following season, Laimer got plenty of game time in defensive midfield as an important rotation player before earning himself a regular place as a flexible full-back.

There was also excitement around an in-house talent in the summer of 2023: Frans Krätzig. Although he had never been seen as a so-called super talent, Tuchel surprisingly took him on the Asia tour. The 20-year-old left-back impressed in his appearances and scored a wonder goal against Liverpool FC. But the really big breakthrough never came. After spells at Austria Vienna, VfB Stuttgart and 1. FC Heidenheim, Krätzig is now playing for RB Salzburg.

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2024: Serge Gnabry? A starter instead of a sale candidate

In 2024, Irankunda took on the role Krätzig had filled the previous year. The then 18-year-old Australian scored goals, did somersaults and was already drawing comparisons with Xherdan Shaqiri. But it still wasn't enough for a competitive appearance in the following season. He is currently on the verge of a €15 million move from Watford FC to Sporting Lisbon, with half of the fee going to Munich thanks to a sell-on clause.

Two long-serving key players also counted as "winners of pre-season 2024": Joshua Kimmich and Serge Gnabry. During his difficult spell under Tuchel, Kimmich had at times been considered a candidate for sale. Vincent Kompany had other ideas and immediately restored him as the undisputed leader in midfield. Kimmich still fills that role today.

Gnabry, Kimmich's best man, also enjoyed a strong summer in 2024. Plagued by numerous injuries, he had missed large parts of the previous season and ultimately Euro 2024 at home as well. But he looked sharp from the start of pre-season and then took full advantage of his head start over team-mates who had longer holidays. Before long, the talk of a possible departure had gone, and Gnabry started in the early days under Kompany.

Meanwhile, Tel put together a second strong pre-season in a row. This time, though, he failed to use that head start. After a sobering first half of the season without making an impact, Tel left for Tottenham Hotspur in January 2025.

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2025: Gnabry does it again - Karl catches fire

As in the previous year, Gnabry was again one of the big winners of pre-season. The momentum he had built in the summer of 2024 had faded over the course of the season before he kicked on again 12 months later. With Jamal Musiala sidelined for a long time with his serious fibula and ankle injury and Thomas Müller not given a new contract, Gnabry initially had his starting place in the number 10 role secured. Then an adductor injury slowed him down in the spring of 2026, which also cost him participation at the World Cup.

Goretzka also came back into the picture in the summer of 2025. Already written off by many, he suddenly had serious hopes of winning a starting place again after a strong pre-season, but then lost the duel to Aleksandar Pavlovic and ultimately left on a free transfer. He still has no new club.

Then 17, Lennart Karl burst forward and laid the foundations for his breakthrough in the months that followed. Stanisic also became a pre-season winner for the second time after 2021. This time it had lasting consequences: he spent the entire season among the extended group of regular starters.

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2026: Bischof as the leader of the young stars

Tom Bischof has been the standout player of this year's pre-season so far. As the only established outfield player, the 21-year-old reported back for training on time and fit. All his team-mates were either still on special World Cup leave at that point or nursing various knocks. That also applied to two-time pre-season winner Gnabry, who is currently working on his comeback and therefore missed out on his personal "treble".

Among the improved youth selection, Bischof is seen as the leader and is now eyeing the starting place of his mate Pavlovic. Of the homegrown talents, two in particular impressed: the still only 16-year-old striker Bastian Assomo (two goals in four friendlies) and the lively left winger Maycon Cardozo. Will one of the two be the next Lennart Karl?

Next up is Saturday's friendly against RB Leipzig, followed by the dress rehearsal against 1. FC Heidenheim on 18 August. The first competitive game of the season comes on the 22nd, the Supercup against Borussia Dortmund.

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