Bayern Munich defender Jerome Boateng is out for the rest of the season with a knee ligament injury, leaving Bayern manager Niko Kovac to consider whether to call up youngster Joshua Kimmich from the reserves.

Kimmich has been impressive in training and could be given his chance at the weekend against Hertha Berlin, although it will depend on the level of fitness he has built up over recent weeks.

The German midfielder was left out of Germany's World Cup squad after being ruled out by a hamstring problem earlier this month, but he has since recovered sufficiently to return to full training.

He has made five appearances for Bayern this season, scoring once and providing two assists, and could play a key role in the team's title defence next year.

However, the injury to Boateng means that Kimmich may not get the opportunity to make his debut for the first time in his career until the end of the season.

It remains to be seen how long Kimmich will be out for, but it is clear that Bayern will need to be careful about giving him too much responsibility while he recovers.

In any case, the club's priority should be to ensure that Kimmich is fit and ready to perform when he returns to action.

With Boateng out for the remainder of the season, Kimmich could also be called upon to step up and take on more responsibilities as a result of his improved form.

• Latest
• Bayern
• Munich
• Joshua
• Kimmich