As things stand, US national team youngster Julian Green will be a Bayern Munich player for the 2014-2015 European season.
Pep Guardiola, the head coach of the reigning German champions, indicated on Tuesday that he's intent on keeping the 19-year-old around instead of loaning him out ahead of the upcoming Bundesliga campaign. But he also made it clear that his plan hinges on the transfer market and the outcome of preseason, which includes two matches in the USA.
Bayern Munich travel to the USA next week to face Mexican club Chivas Guadalajara (July 31 at Red Bull Arena, 8 pm ET | PURCHASE TICKETS HERE) before meeting the best of MLS in the AT&T MLS All-Star Game (Aug. 6 at Providence Park, 9:30 pm ET).
"Now he stays with us. He’s going to stay with us and make preseason," Guardiola confirmed during a media teleconference call on Tuesday. "I think he’s going to stay [for the season], but we have to see how is the market, if one player is back or what players come in.
"Today I think he’s going to stay, but I think we’ll see the preseason. We have time. I know him and I know he trains well and he’s a good guy and my first idea is that he’s going to stay for the rest of the season."
Green rejoined Bayern on Monday after an extensive vacation and is currently nursing a knee injury which will force him to rest for two to three days, according to Guardiola. But the manager says it won't stop him from traveling to the US, where Green is expected to "play as much as possible."
It was in last summer's preseason that the Tampa-born Green first made an impression on his coach, scoring seven goals for a team that was coming off a UEFA Champions League triumph. Coupled with his scoring spree in the German fourth division, Green earned the attention of US manager Jurgen Klinsmann and ultimately a surprise inclusion on the 2014 US World Cup team.
And his first touch in Brazil was a memorable one, scoring an extratime goal that gave the US momentary hope against Belgium in the Round of 16.
"He played a little bit in the World Cup, but when he played he showed his level, scoring a beautiful, beautiful goal," Guardiola said.
"We are so, so happy he is with us because it’s never easy to be in a big club in the first squad but he deserves to try to keep going here and playing with us."
