Bayern Munich probably needed to sign a central defender before Javi Martinez went down injured, but his knee issue has left them in a seriously desperate situation. They've responded emphatically, signing arguably the best central defender on the market at the moment, Mehdi Benatia.
Bayern Munich strengthen defense with Mehdi Benatia signing
The German powerhouse club shores up a need with a high impact signing.
Paolo Bruno
Benatia only played for one season at AS Roma, but he increased his reputation and value significantly during his time with the club. He was one of Serie A's best defenders during his time at Udinese but was thrust into the international spotlight with his move to the Italian capital and was a huge part of Roma's surprise second-place finish.
Pep Guardiola loves versatile players who can play in multiple positions, and Benatia fits the bill perfectly. He played in the center of a four-man defense at Roma, but has played all along a back-three in his career as well, and even a bit at right back. If Guardiola is going to continue with the 3-4-3 formation that he's been workshopping in preseason and the first game of the Bundesliga campaign, Benatia should fit in perfectly as the right central defender, freeing up Philipp Lahm to play either central midfield or right wingback.
The fee for Benatia is reportedly around €30 million, more than double what Roma paid to sign him last season. It’s a great piece of business for the Giallorossi, but it could end up being good value for Bayern as well. That kind of fee is a drop in the bucket for them, and if Benatia matches the form he showed at Roma, he’ll be well worth the money.
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