Summer shifts: Bayern Munich set for quartet of difficult decisions
Bayern Munich has made a habit of sorting Bundesliga honours by Easter, and with a sixth title on the trot secured by virtue of Saturday's derby victory at Augsburg, Jupp Heynckes and Co. will shift their focus to the Champions League.
Related: Bayern clinches 6th Bundesliga crown on the bounce with Augsburg win
However, there's more on the horizon for the Bavarian behemoth than just progression on the continent - namely a quartet of players who face uncertain futures at the Allianz Arena. Instead of a summer of rest and relaxation for Bayern, there are four "Rs" on the books whose tenures with the club will need to be assessed.
With Xabi Alonso and Philipp Lahm leaving the club a summer ago, much of the talk was about a period of transition. It didn't really happen, and a year on, it appears sweeping changes will force themselves on the Bundesliga giant - especially when veteran manager Heynckes seems to be on his way out.
Renato Sanches
From prodigious talent to teenage debutant, and from Euro 2016 winner to a forgotten man at Swansea City, Renato Sanches has experienced an erratic career and he's still months short of his 21st birthday.
Loaned to the south Wales side in the summer to work under former Bayern assistant Paul Clement, "damaged" Sanches has made just nine starts, looking like a shadow of his former self, hiding from the ball, and inexplicably playing it out of touch when he does get a chance in possession.
Bayern didn't want Sanches back in January, and with the player's current deal running through 2021, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has a decision to make. Thiago Alcantara and Javi Martinez can play in the middle, while Corentin Tolisso's emergence and Leon Goretzka's eventual arrival aren't helping the slick-dribbling central midfielder's cause. With Arturo Vidal's contract set to expire in 2019 amid talk of an exit, Sanches' future at Bayern may hinge on the plans of the mohawked Chilean.
Rafinha
Faux-blonde full-back Rafinha has a decision to make this summer when his contract lapses, and after fielding offers from three clubs back home in January, it's either the beer and bratwurst of Bavaria or the sand and sun of Brazil.
"I have time to think. The window is closed; I don't have to rush. It hasn't been ruled out. I have wonderful options here in Europe; Bayern itself wants to renew my contract for another two years. We'll see," Rafinha said after deciding to stay put in January.
A useful servant both domestically and on the continent, Rafinha's two-year offer from Bayern won't offer false hope for a player fighting for a spot on Tite's World Cup squad, and with Joshua Kimmich and David Alaba holding down the two full-back positions, and Sebastian Rudy able to ply his trade at right-back, the Brazilian's role will continue to decrease.
Franck Ribery
French winger Franck Ribery celebrated his 35th birthday with Saturday's Bundesliga-clinching result, and if the mercurial winger fancies making a wish when he blows out the candles, it should be for a contract extension.
With his contract set to expire in the summer and another injury-plagued season under his belt, Ribery's wish to retire at Bayern may not come to fruition, and after previously turning down a lucrative offer from China, the left-winger may not have a choice.
The wide positions will be a point of focus this summer for Bayern, and Rummenigge will have to decide if Thomas Muller, Kingsley Coman, James Rodriguez, and incoming Serge Gnabry will be enough, or if a short-term, incentive-laden contract for Ribery and mutual recognition of a reduced role might provide a decent insurance plan.
Arjen Robben
Another winger whose current terms will lapse on the last day of June, Arjen Robben faces a similar predicament to Ribery, and a similar set of concerns.
Robben, 34, has missed chunks of the season with six different ailments ranging from a sciatic problem to a calf strain with a pinched nerve thrown in for good measure, and with the Dutchman's health a looming concern, his goal of playing "at the top level for one or two more years" may not be possible.
Related: Robben weighing up options despite Bayern title win
The one positive for the inverted winger is that he appears more willing to accept a reduced role than Ribery, and even with a slew of injuries and reduced pace, Robben is still unplayable when cutting inside to his preferred left foot. A diminished role that includes mentoring Bayern's younger wingers is likely the best option for a player who's won 13 trophies with the club since a move in 2009 from Real Madrid.
(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)