Hiroki Itō faces a potential exit from Bayern Munich after sliding out of coach Vincent Kompany’s plans this season. The defender, who joined the club in 2024 from VfB Stuttgart, has logged just ten minutes of playing time across one appearance and could be sold when the winter transfer window opens.
Hiroki Itō’s standing at Bayern Munich has shifted dramatically following a summer of squad adjustments and enduring fitness hurdles. After missing almost a year and a half due to two metatarsal fractures, the 27-year-old Japan international returned last November to make 23 competitive appearances. He finished the previous campaign as a reliable rotation option and even started five of the final six games in a Bundesliga campaign that had already been decided. Hiroki Ito used the international break as a welcome change of scene.
That momentum has entirely evaporated under manager Vincent Kompany. Across the opening stretch of the season, Itō has managed a mere 10 minutes off the bench in a Champions League fixture against FK Bodö/Glimt after the match was already decided.
Defensive Depth and Squad Rotation Under Vincent Kompany
Kompany has implemented sweeping rotation across his small squad, but Itō alongside unused teammate Sacha Boey has been left out in the cold. Despite Kompany’s frequent squad rotation, Ito and the unused Sacha Boey remain the only two established outfield players in Bayern’s compact roster who have been virtually sidelined so far. Eighteen different players have already logged at least 166 minutes of playing time. Manager Vincent Kompany can select his left-back from the revitalized Alphonso Davies, newcomer Nathaniel Brown, and Josip Stanisic. In central defense, the minutes are shared among Dayot Upamecano, Jonathan Tah, and Min-Jae Kim, leaving Itō as the fourth-choice center-back and sitting behind options on the left flank.
The defensive logjam intensified during the summer transfer window when Bayern acquired Nathaniel Brown from Eintracht Frankfurt for a reported fee of €50 million while parting ways with Raphael Guerreiro. Itō initially joined Bayern from VfB Stuttgart in 2024 for a fixed transfer fee of €23.5 million, arriving as a versatile asset capable of covering both left-back and central defense.
Contradictory Statements From Bayern Munich Leadership
Club executives have offered mixed signals regarding the defender’s future. Late in the summer window, Itō drew links to Ajax Amsterdam, though a deal ultimately failed to materialize.
“If there should be any thought on Hiroki’s part of a move because he himself realises that it is going to be difficult, then we will look into it.”
Max Eberl, Board member for sport
Sporting director Christoph Freund offered a contrasting perspective shortly before the transfer window closed, emphasizing the player’s value to the squad after his prolonged injury layoff.
“It was never our great intention to let Hiroki go. He is an important player who is now properly fit again over a longer period too.”
Christoph Freund, Sporting director
International Minutes Contrast With Club Isolation
While his club career has stalled, Itō found relief during the international break by representing Japan across four matches. He featured in all four matches for Japan and started three of them. He started three of those fixtures, converted a penalty during a Kirin Cup semi-final shootout against Ecuador, and played the full duration of the final victory over New Zealand. In total, he accumulated 288 minutes on the pitch for his national team, starkly contrasting with his frozen status in Munich.
Unless injuries strike his positional rivals, Bayern Munich is expected to pursue a sale when the winter transfer window opens in January to help fund other roster priorities, such as adding a left-winger. If a suitable transfer does not materialize in January, the club could look to move him next summer.
