ARJEN ROBBEN

Bayern have confirmed the signing of Lucas Hernandez from Atletico Madrid for a club-record fee of £68m. The France international had been touted to make the switch to the Bavarian giants over the past few months and it has not been officially confirmed that he will be joining the club during the summer transfer window.

Speaking to the club’s official website, Hernandez said: “This is a really important day in my footballing career. FC Bayern Munich is one of the best clubs in Europe and the world. I’m proud to be able to fight for all possible titles with Bayern. I’d like to thank Atletico, the management, the coaches, my teammates and the fans for 12 wonderful years. Atletico will always remain a part of me. Now I’m looking forward to taking the next step with FC Bayern.”

Atleti had previously cited that no deal had been put in place between the clubs and anything regarding the same would be officially confirmed. Thereafter, the left-sided defender sustained a season-ending knee injury and that may have perhaps encouraged the Spanish club to confirm the agreement, given the player would have no influence on the proceedings for the rest of the season.

With the arrival of Hernandez, there are concerns over the future of David Alaba, who has been the regular choice on the left side of the Bayern defence. The Austria international is capable of playing further forward in the attack but reports suggests that he could pursue a fresh challenge elsewhere when the transfer window reopens.

The club graduate has recently acknowledged the admiration for Premier League side Arsenal whom he has followed from childhood, but they may not necessarily be able to acquire his signature unless an instalment package is settled. The north London side could be operating on a restricted £45m budget for the summer.