Bayern Munich manager Vincent Kompany has ended his short-lived experiment of using Nathaniel Brown as an attacking midfielder. The €50 million signing played in the unfamiliar No. 10 role in the club's first two competitive matches of the season, as reported by Goal.com this week.
Kompany was missing four established options for the playmaker position at the start of the campaign, with Jamal Musiala, Serge Gnabry, Lennart Karl and new signing Ismael Saibari all unavailable. Surprisingly, he chose former Frankfurt defender Nathaniel Brown over the expected Tom Bischof for the creative hub. "At the start it wasn't so good from me, in the first few minutes I didn't really get into it," Brown said after his debut. He did score a crucial goal in the Supercup win against Borussia Dortmund.
Why did Brown play as a No. 10?
Kompany explained the unusual selection by highlighting Brown's football intelligence. "For us, the spaces for the full-backs are sometimes similar to those of a No 10. He is unbelievably good between the spaces," the manager stated. Joshua Kimmich compared the player's profile to a former Bayern utility man. "He can play the same positions as Raphael Guerreiro." Kimmich said. Brown admitted he was surprised by the decision but adapted dutifully.
Which attacking players are returning?
The personnel situation in attacking midfield has eased significantly. Jamal Musiala was absent after two collapses in pre-season friendlies, traced to a neurological dysfunction. His medication dosage has been adjusted and the 23-year-old could make his comeback at Schalke next weekend, according to Kompany. Ismael Saibari, who suffered a muscle injury at the World Cup, demonstrated his quality in the 5-1 win over Stuttgart with two assists. Lennart Karl, recovering from a torn muscle fibre, and Serge Gnabry, out since April, are also nearing returns.
This influx of attacking talent renders the Brown experiment unnecessary. For squad depth, the 22-year-old remains a valuable asset. He provides backup options on both flanks, in defensive midfield, and can fill in offensively if needed. The current offensive options are listed on our squad page.
What does this mean for the left-back position?
For Germany head coach Jürgen Klopp, Brown's return to defence is positive news. The left-back is meant to take on an important role for the national team. At Bayern, however, Brown faces high-profile competition from Alphonso Davies. The Canadian made a convincing return to the starting lineup against Stuttgart and hopes to have his injury problems under control. While not as versatile as Brown, Davies is considered world-class in his position. The team's upcoming schedule can be seen on our fixtures page.
With the attacking players returning, Kompany can now focus on Nathaniel Brown's primary strength. The No. 10 experiment was a stopgap solution forced by an injury crisis. It highlighted the new signing's flexibility, but the comebacks of Musiala, Saibari and others close this chapter for now. Brown remains a useful option in multiple roles, increasing competition in training, which benefits the overall squad. The current injury status at FC Bayern is available on our injuries overview.
