Bayern Munich manager Niko Kovac open to Alphonso Davies seeing 1st team

Alphonso Davies - solo celebration - 2018-10-28

Bayern Munich won't resume play in the Bundesliga until January 18. When they do return from winter break, it's not completely out of impossible that a familiar MLS face would be in the picture.


Speaking ahead of Bayern's 3-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt last Saturday, manager Niko Kovac left the door open of 18-year-old former Vancouver Whitecaps phenom Alphonso Davies contributing sooner rather than later.


"If I compare him with our U23s, then he is already ahead of the others," Kovac said. "He has to acclimatize, that's clear. But he has quality and we will not slow him down if he can help us."


Davies won't officially join Bayern's ranks until the winter transfer window opens on Jan. 1, though he departed for Germany shortly after the Whitecaps season concluded. The Canadian international's transfer worth up to $22 million US was announced back in late July.


Davies had eight goals and 11 assists in a breakout 2018 campaign that coupled his ever-present promise with greater consistency. Before 2018, his best moment had come at the 2017 Concacaf Gold Cup, where he won the tournament's Golden Boot and Young Player award, as well as Best XI honors.