Bayern Munich center-back Tarek Buchmann may be sidelined until February 2024

The hits keep coming. Bayern Munich’s center-back crisis is deepening as 18-year-old youth player Tarek Buchmann aggravated a previous injury and has now undergone surgery. The news comes in the wake of Matthijs de Ligt’s MCL injury against Saarbrücken, and amid Dayot Upamecano’s cautious injury return.

Sport1 journalist Kerry Hau reports:

Tarek Buchmann has suffered a setback and tore a thigh muscle again. The 18-year old defender will undergo surgery and will be sidelined for several months [@kerry_hau]

According to Hau, Buchmann’s injury timetable will keep him out for “several months, possibly until February.”

Bayern’s youth ranks at center-back were already thinned with the departure for Antonio Tikvić to Serie A club Udinese Calcio in the summer.

Kim Min-jae is the only senior center-back fully fit over recent weeks. Other first team options at the position departed in the summer transfer window as well — Benjamin Pavard to Inter Milan, Josip Stanišić on loan to Bayer Leverkusen.

Complicating matters, Kim will be unavailable in January due to his expected call-up for the Asian Cup — and neither De Ligt nor Buchmann may be ready to start a run of matches by then.