Berlin: Injury-prone France winger Kingsley Coman is poised to permanently sign for Bayern Munich after coach Carlo Ancelotti revealed on Friday that the club management are planning with the player for next season.
“He has had a lot of problems, but now he is fit and in good shape,” said Ancelotti in a press conference.
“The idea is that he stays here for next season.”
Ancelotti’s comments mean Bayern are set to permanently sign Coman, who is on loan from Juventus until the end of the season.
The 20-year-old moved to Munich from Turin in 2015 and Bayern have until April to decide whether to buy Coman, reportedly for 21 million euros (Dh82.9 million), or let the Frenchman return to Italy.
Coman has been blighted by injury this season, which allowed him to make just 12 league appearances, none of which were over the full 90 minutes.
A double injury to his knee and ankle in training last November ruled him out until January, but he showed his class with two goals in Bayern’s 8-0 hammering of Hamburg last month when he made a rare Bundesliga start.
The fleet-footed Coman is being groomed as a replacement for ageing Bayern winger Arjen Robben, 33, who has a contract extension until June 2018.
Bayern are bidding to win the treble of Champions League, Bundesliga and German Cup titles this season.
They visit Borussia Moenchengladbach on Sunday in the German league and have drawn Real Madrid in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
Chile midfielder Arturo Vidal is suspended for a fifth yellow card and Brazil winger Douglas Costa is rated doubtful with an injury.
Gladbach have climbed to ninth in the table under new coach Dieter Hecking after picking up 15 points in 2017, a tally bettered only by Bayern’s 17 so far since the winter break.
But Borussia bowed out of the Europa League’s Round of 16 on Thursday after drawing at home with Schalke and will have just two days of recovery.
“It’ll only be an advantage to us if we play with a high intensity,” said Ancelotti.
“Gladbach is a good team, their new coach has worked well there.”
Bayern will face rivals Borussia Dortmund in the semi-finals of the German Cup to be held through April 25 and 26 having faced Real Madrid at home on April 12 and away six days later in the Champions League’s quarter-finals.
Ancelotti has said he is having no problems motivating his stars as the season moves into the decisive phase when titles will be won or lost.
“I have a lot of confidence in my players, they are professional and focused. We have no problems to keep the motivation high,” he added.
Bayern are currently 10 points clear in the Bundesliga and cruising towards a fifth straight title.
But Ancelotti knows the Champions League is the yardstick he will be measured by, especially as predecessor Pep Guardiola bowed out in the semi-finals during each of his three years in charge.
