Eric Dier was still quite taciturn when he arrived in Munich on Thursday. In the statement published by FC Bayern that evening, the 29-year-old became clearer: “For me, this move is a dream come true.”
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He continues that he is very much looking forward to playing for FC Bayern soon. Dier added with a smile in the afternoon when he was caught by various media representatives in Munich that he was even more looking forward to seeing his former Tottenham teammate Harry Kane again.
Since Kane’s departure to Bayern in the summer, Dier has rarely had reason to be happy at Spurs. Because the England international saw himself more on the outside than in the middle. So can Dier seriously help the record champions?
The 29-year-old no longer played a role under Spurs coach Ange Postecoglou, and Dier even found himself in the stands at times. The defensive player has only made four appearances in the current Premier League season and was only allowed to play for more than 90 minutes once.
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Dier left out at Spurs
Even when the two regular central defenders Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero were missing recently, Postecoglou preferred to move the trained right-back Emerson Royal into the center of defense.
In the FA Cup third round game against Burnley last Friday, Ben Davies played through despite a muscle injury. Dier wasn’t even in the squad.
“He is injured and hasn’t trained,” Postecoglou said afterwards. The Spurs coach reacted irritably to further questions about Dier and his situation. When asked whether he could cope with leaving despite the injury concerns, Postecoglou simply said: “Yes.”
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So now the fixed change, after Kane, the second Englishman within six months to leave the capital for Munich. The main thing for Dier will be to put the personal disappointments of the past few months behind him.
This is an emergency aid for Bavaria?
After all, Dier brings a lot of experience with him. Not just on a personal level – Dier grew up in Lisbon because his mother found work there during the 2004 European Championships, and later joined the Sporting Academy – but also on a sporting level.
Moved from his boyhood club to Tottenham for five million euros in 2014, he played 274 times in the Premier League (12 goals) and 54 times on the European stage. He also played 49 times for the English national team – his last short appearance was at the World Cup in Qatar in 2022.
“I have my doubts as to whether he will help Bayern,” said expert Dietmar Hamann on Sky: “If you haven’t played or hardly played for six months, then you need two or three months to get back into the rhythm.”
Tuchel is happy about “another alternative”
He won’t have that much time left. At Bayern, due to Min-jae Kim being sent off for the Asian Cup, he is immediately planned as backup number one behind Matthijs de Ligt and Dayot Upamecano – at least
After courting Radu Dragusin – the Romanian is moving from Genoa to Spurs – Dier seems more like an emergency solution than a desired solution. The Englishman, who signed with Bayern until the end of the season with the option of a further year, is at least the much cheaper and therefore risk-free alternative with the rumored transfer fee of four million euros.
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In any case, Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel was happy about “another alternative for our squad” and described the winter newcomer on Thursday at the matchday conference before the duel with TSG Hoffenheim (from 8:30 p.m. in the SPORT1 live ticker) as a “specialist in the internal defense”.
There he can hold both positions and also act in a three-man chain. “This will primarily free Leon Goretzka for midfield,” added Tuchel with relief, referring to the substitute central defender.
Dier is not an easy character
But as positive as the commitment may seem for the club and players, Dier also made headlines away from the pitch – and not necessarily in a positive way. At the beginning of 2020, he stormed into the stands after an FA Cup game after his brother was insulted by a fan.
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In autumn 2020, he disappeared into the catacombs for a pee break during a League Cup game against Chelsea. Derailments that would not be welcomed at FC Bayern. At least the German record champions seem to be able to create a feel-good atmosphere for the Englishman.
Dier is a golf fan, so he fits seamlessly into a group around Thomas Müller and his new teammate Kane. He also has a great fondness for tennis and chess. And English tea – without milk and sugar.
The 29-year-old is versatile, both on and off the pitch. Mauricio Pochettino even retrained him to become a defensive midfielder in the 2015/16 season.
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Dier can also play sixes
“We took a big risk by not signing another midfielder and it was fantastic. He deserved all the praise and our decision to be bold paid off,” Pochettino later said of this move.
Dier experienced a downturn in his sporting career after an appendix operation at the end of 2018. It was only at the beginning of 2020 that he found his old strength back under Pochettino’s successor Jose Mourinho after being transferred back to his favorite position in central defense.
Dier was also in the Three Lions jersey at the 2016 European Championships and even scored in the first group game against Russia. Rumors then circulated that Bayern were already interested in signing Dier back then.
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But he remained loyal to Spurs – until this transfer window.
2024-01-12 00:00:25
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