Kimmich, kinda. They tried with Kurt and Weiser, no?
I don't think they've underperformed in Europe. It's just that they didn't have a Messi or a Ronaldo.
Seven years of youngsters and not one of them is as innately good as Mueller was in 2009? Don't believe it.
I understand that young players don't get much of a chance when the team is world-class and absolutely on fire but Bayern should've made a serious effort at buying youngsters instead of clowns like Benatia. But the target is CL victory and they didn't have any room to spare without a Messi or Ronaldo and a terrible (unlucky) Gotze.
This is incorrect though. Bayern did buy many youngsters. The youngsters got plenty of chances but mostly didn't stick. They didn't go after the most talented youngsters like Real Madrid did, though, because of their relative aversion to paying big fees.
Players 22 and under they've bought or promoted from their junior team since the treble season:
Götze (didn't fit with the coach's style; had serious condition with metabolism)
Thiago (good fit)
Bernat (got plenty of playing time; not good enough)
Höjbjerg (got plenty of playing time; not good enough)
Gaudino (got a chance despite his age and stature; not good enough)
Coman (good player but not as good as Robbery)
Kimmich (good fit)
Sanches (bad)
Süle (good but probably not as good as his predecessors)
Plus guys like Gnabry, Goretzka, and Tolisso who just missed that cut. How many of those guys didn't get a chance to prove themselves?
The coach is probably too loyal to the older generation now, as Löw was last summer, but very few of the guys on that list have the potential to be one of the best players at their positions (Thiago, Kimmich, Götze without the medical condition), as many of the older generation were.