Thomas Tuchel claims Eric Dier’s ‘sensationally good character’ was a crucial reason why Bayern Munich elected to bring in the defender from Premier League heavyweights Tottenham Hotspur.
Now, Bayern may not have initially targeted the seasoned England international as their center-back. Radu Dragusin, the £26 million behemoth whose eventual arrival at Tottenham Hotspur ironically cleared the path for Eric Dier’s move to Germany, appears to be the rightful recipient of that honor.
However, the long-serving Spurs ace is a welcome comfort to Thomas Tuchel.
Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur
Eric Dier joins Harry Kane at Bayern Munich
Dier is on loan to the Bundesliga powerhouse Bayern Munich, with a roughly £3.5 million buyout option. And while some have accused the 29-year-old of ‘failing upwards’ – ending up at one of the planet’s greatest clubs after falling out of favour in North London – Tuchel obviously does not see the one-time Everton player as an inadequate option to Dragusin.
“He can assist us right away,” Tuchel tells DAZN. “First and foremost, he’s in excellent physical condition, and second, he has almost 300 Premier League outings under his belt and is an incredibly good character. He has exceptional aerial strength on both sides of the field.
Dier did not make his Bayern debut in Friday’s 3-0 triumph over Hoffenheim, however, a match in which his former Tottenham team-mate Harry Kane hit the net.
“He only signed (on Thursday) night,” Tuchel explains. Making his appearance so quickly would have created an excessive amount of enthusiasm.
“That is the reason we chose not to.” We must exercise patience.
Confirmation of Tottenham Hotspur’s exit
The former Chelsea manager continues, “Dier will be Bayern’s third-choice center-half, behind Matthijs de Ligt, who is linked to Arsenal, and summer signing Kim Min-Jae.”
HITC Football understands that Dier’s adaptability was another major reason in his signing. Even though he hasn’t played defensive midfield recently, Bayern clearly think he may be used in that position, especially in light of the fact that they appear to have given up on their long-running chase of Fulham’s ball-winning monster Joao Palhinha.
