Joshua Kimmich praises Pep and opens up on his path to Bayern Munich | OneFootball

The versatile midfielder came through the youth ranks at Stuttgart before moving to RB Leipzig whilst they were playing in the 2.Bundesliga.

A number of clubs were interested in the then 20-year-old, but Kimmich has admitted that he was shocked to find that Bayern – managed by Pep Guardiola – wanted to take him to the Allianz Arena in 2015.

“I took a call from my agent and he said, ‘Bayern Munich wants to have you’. I was like, ‘Really?!'” he told the Daily Mail.

“I thought he was joking. I was 20 years old playing in the second division. I was like, ‘Why do they want to get me when they can have every player in the world?’ So it was a bit strange for me. But I knew I had this great opportunity.

“I asked if it was possible to hear the same from Pep Guardiola and ask him some questions; ‘Why me? Where can I play in this squad of great quality? I’m from the second division’. This was really important for me. After that I thought this is the right step and I have to take it.”

Like most who have played under Guardiola, Kimmich was full of praise for the Catalan coach. “It was a different type of playing football,” he said. “At RB Leipzig, we nearly only had a concept against the ball and now it was completely different as we had 70 per cent possession.

“I played different positions. With Pep, it’s really important to know where team-mates are in every moment and also where the opponents are. So you learn and get another feeling of the space.

“You know every time you get the ball I can pass it to this player and this player. You know where your team-mates are, in which space. And so you think a bit different about the whole game of football.”