As Pep Guardiola tries to prolong Bayern Munich’s all-conquering stance over domestic and European football, the Bavarian outfit have continued to strengthen an already star-studded squad.

It seemed like only a matter of time before Robert Lewandowski followed his former Borussia Dortmund team-mate Mario Götze to the Allianz Arena, and the Polish forward was duly confirmed as a future Bayern player in January.

With Lewandowski set to join the European champions on a free transfer this summer, Guardiola’s attacking options will become all the more daunting to prospective opposition.

However, one man that seems ready to be offloaded by Bayern to make room for Lewandowski is Mario Mandžukić.

Since the news of the Pole’s impending arrival was announced, transfer rumours over the Croatian’s future have been in the media on almost a daily basis. He is being reported as a target for fellow Bundesliga sides and some Premier League outfits, and Bayern honorary president Franz Beckenbauer recently admitted that Mandžukić could well be on his way out of Bavaria.

Despite Lewandowski’s potency in front of goal, isn’t it a bit premature to simply write off a player of Mandžukić’s considerable ability and simply assume he will be sold?

Although Guardiola has altered personnel and formation on plenty of occasions this term, the 4-2-3-1 formation seems to be the Spaniard’s most frequently used guise.

In this system it is evident that only Lewandowski or Mandžukić can be used, while both will face competition from others that have contrasting attributes to offer.

Götze and Thomas Müller have also been utilised as the furthest man forward on occasion this term in a false nine role. Although naturally attacking midfielders, in a striking role the pair’s movement, ability on the ball and creativity have offered up a different threat.

The odds are certainly stacked against Mandžukić, but given his recent track record don’t be surprised if Lewandowski does not walk straight into the Bayern side.

After consistently scoring over the course of two years for Wolfsburg and impressing in Euro 2012, Mandžukić was brought to the Allianz Arena for a fee in the region of €13 million in the summer of 2012.

Despite the 27-year-old’s promise, it was believed that the Croat would largely serve as a back-up for Bayern, with Mario Gómez the main man for club and country.

No one had told Mandžukić this though, as the powerful striker took advantage of an early-season injury to Gómez, and solidified his position as Bayern’s first-choice centre forward.

Despite Gómez scoring an impressive 75 goals in 115 appearances for Die Roten and being the side’s top goalscorer for two seasons in a row, Mandžukić overtook him in Jupp Heynckes’ preferences.

The 59-times capped Germany international was all-but forced out of Bayern due to Mandžukić’s form, with a move to Fiorentina last summer secured in Gómez’s bid for regular first-team football.

This season Mandžukić continues to play an important role for Bayern, and in a freescoring side that has looked next to invincible both in Germany and in the Champions League, the Croat is the side’s top goalscorer.

Twelve goals in 14 Bundesliga starts were recently backed up by an impressive hat-trick in the DFB-Pokal tie against Hamburg. Mandžukić has only scored two less goals than Lewandowski in the league this season, despite the Dortmund man starting eight more games than him.

With 35-year-old Claudio Pizarro coming to the end of his career, Bayern will likely only have Lewandowski and Mandžukić as out-and-out number nines next season, and to sell one of them could be a mistake.

There is no doubt that Lewandowski has been added as a big-name, glamour signing that will add real quality to Guardiola’s striking options next season.

However, Mandžukić has proven over the last 18 months in Bavaria that he has what it takes to excel at the top level, and should not be automatically dispelled as a player that is surplus to requirements.