Bayern Munich will face Lazio in the next round of the Champions League and the Italian side might want to chat about a potential deal for defender Lars Lukas Mai when the clubs meet.
Mai, who has spent the season with Darmstadt, is one of the few players on loan away from Bayern Munich who is actually taking advantage of the situation. Mai has played in all but one game for Darmstadt this season and even for that fixture, he didn’t suit up because he was suspended.
In all, Mai has only sat out for seven minutes all season. Clearly, the 20-year-old is making the most of his chances in 2. Bundesliga and people are taking notice — including Lazio.
Per Calciomercato, the interest from Lazio is legitimate, as the Italian club would like to make a move for Mai now. That, of course, will likely not happen given Mai’s loan status at Darmstadt:
A new name, a great promise. But getting there will be complicated, almost impossible for this market session. Lazio want to reinforce and rejuvenate their defense. Sporting director Tare, who has excellent contacts in Germany, is an admirer of Lukas Mai, a central defender born in 2000. A member of the German U21 national team, he is doing very well with Darmstadt, in the second division. Out of 17 matches, he has played 16 as a starter (he has only missed one match due to disqualification). At 190 centimeters tall, he has the physical type that Tare has always counted on for defenders.
To get him immediately, Lazio would have to buy him outright. In Bavaria they believe a lot in him, so much so that the idea, with Alaba and Boateng expiring, would be to promote him to the first team. The plan would be to renew Boateng’s contract for one year and then replace him, in 2022, with Mai. At the moment, therefore, Bayern would be willing to sell its talent only on loan for another year (but, if the player wants, he could even stay in Darmstadt for the next season). Tare has pinned him on the purchase list, but now he’s focused on something else.
BFW Analysis
This report is interesting for a couple reasons:
1 — Mai almost never appears in any article or post looking at Bayern Munich’s potential backline for next season. Is he “out of sight, out of mind” or is the club just biding time until it can sell him? How much Bayern Munich values Mai seems to be a bit overstated unless the club’s fondness for Mai just has not been publicized.
2 — The information that Bayern Munich is looking to extend Jerome Boateng for one more season, so Mai can take over seems unlikely. Sure, Boateng has the potential to be re-signed, but is Bayern Munich counting on Mai? There has literally been nothing stating that at all.
Aside of that, Mai is an intriguing talent, who is proving himself in a quality league. Mai also has the requisite size and potential with good track record of success.
Will he ever get to show that again at the Allianz Arena, though? We might find out as soon as the summer.
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