According to HITC, the Gunners are considering a raid for the 29-year-old, who has just one year left on his contract in Bavaria, and who is dragging his heels over signing an extension. Kimmich is said to be open to the prospect of seeking a fresh challenge elsewhere, having amassed a staggering 20 career trophies to date, and the arrival of Vincent Kompany has seemingly done little to convince him that his long-term future lies at the Allianz Arena.
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To that end, a summer exit could be on the cards, and Arsenal would be more than happy to provide the Germany international with the change of scene he supposedly yearns for. They are, however, not the only ones. Both Manchester City and Liverpool are also credited with an interest, with Kimmich, valued at around £51 million, said to hugely respect Pep Guardiola and his project in particular.
There are other obstacles too. To free up the necessary space on their wage bill, and to appease the gods of Financial Fair Play sufficiently, Arsenal may have to sell before they can invest in a player of Kimmich’s stature. Thomas Partey has been touted as one prospective sacrifice; Mohamed Elneny has already gone, while Albert Sambi Lokonga is another who is widely expected to leave over the coming weeks.
Once those departures have been finalised, then there is nothing to suggest that the Gunners couldn’t be in a position to make a concrete attempt for Kimmich’s signature, and in that regard, you could argue that there are few better viable targets out here for them.
A genuinely world class talent who is just as adept at full-back as he is in a more orthodox number six role, Kimmich has done it all and won it all. Eight Bundesliga titles, a Champions League, 89 caps for his country; there is very little that the utility man has not experienced at an elite level, and just as valuable as his footballing ability - which is still sharp enough for Bayern to be pursuing a contract extension - is his winning mentality and peerless know how. In a young squad of Arsenal’s sizeable ambition, that could be a truly significant ingredient.
Of course, this will not be an easy race to win, and whenever Man City express an interest in a player - especially one who Guardiola has worked with before - it does feel as if the chances of him arriving at the Etihad grow exponentially. But Arsenal are an enticing project in their own right, and if they can somehow edge out their title rivals, then Kimmich is a player who would go a long way towards addressing some of the issues that they seem to have this summer. For that reason, they have to go all in.
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