FORMER Bayern Munich midfielder Stefan Effenberg believes the club could live to regret not signing a new goalkeeper.
Effenberg captained Bayern to their last Champions League triumph in 2001 when Oliver Kahn was between the sticks, but his replacement Michael Rensing failed to meet expectations last term.
"I would invest 20 million in a really good goalkeeper," Effenberg said.
"I would have tried to sign Tim Wiese from Werder Bremen. He has a good presence, has international experience and is not scared to open his mouth."
Instead, Bayern will go into the new season with the same goalkeepers as last season - Rensing and veteran Hans-Jorg Butt.
Although that position worries Effenberg, he is impressed by the quality of the rest of Louis van Gaal's squad, particularly since Franck Ribery has not been sold.
And the 41-year-old believes the team should be built around the Frenchman - pursued by Real Madrid over the summer - this season.
"He has got to be given total freedom otherwise that would damage him and the team," he told the Berliner Zeitung newspaper.
"He will always move out onto the wing to do what he does best."
Effenberg is convinced Ribery will "get back to his best quickly" despite his apparent reluctance to remain with the club this summer.
Effenberg also backed the sale of Brazil defender Lucio to Inter Milan.
"He bore the main responsibility for the bad defence (last season)," added Effenberg.
"As a defender, you must play in the defence and you are not allowed to race 50 yards forward to score goals.
"It was right to sell him."
"I would invest 20 million in a really good goalkeeper," Effenberg said.
"I would have tried to sign Tim Wiese from Werder Bremen. He has a good presence, has international experience and is not scared to open his mouth."
Instead, Bayern will go into the new season with the same goalkeepers as last season - Rensing and veteran Hans-Jorg Butt.
Although that position worries Effenberg, he is impressed by the quality of the rest of Louis van Gaal's squad, particularly since Franck Ribery has not been sold.
And the 41-year-old believes the team should be built around the Frenchman - pursued by Real Madrid over the summer - this season.
"He has got to be given total freedom otherwise that would damage him and the team," he told the Berliner Zeitung newspaper.
"He will always move out onto the wing to do what he does best."
Effenberg is convinced Ribery will "get back to his best quickly" despite his apparent reluctance to remain with the club this summer.
Effenberg also backed the sale of Brazil defender Lucio to Inter Milan.
"He bore the main responsibility for the bad defence (last season)," added Effenberg.
"As a defender, you must play in the defence and you are not allowed to race 50 yards forward to score goals.
"It was right to sell him."
Copyright (c) Press Association
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