Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge described the club's recently ended tour of the USA as “the most rounded, interesting and ultimately successful one we’ve ever done,” and for three players in particular, the 10-day jaunt that included fixtures again Arsenal, Real Madrid and AC Milan could be a hugely significant one for the coming season.

With Jerome Boateng, Benjamin Pavard and Fiete Arp all staking their claims to play leading roles for Niko Kovac's side this term, bundesliga.com examines what it could mean for Bayern.

Watch: Highlights of Bayern's win over AC Milan to round off their US trip

Jerome Boateng

The 2018/19 season was a tough one for the 30-year-old, who slipped behind Niklas Süle in the centre-back pecking order and made just 20 Bundesliga starts all term. While fellow defender Mats Hummels may have departed, competition for places in central defence only increased over the summer with the arrivals of French World Cup winners Lucas Hernandez and Pavard, both of whom are six years younger than Boateng.

It was against that backdrop that the Bayern No.17 set off for the US. He has never been one to shy away from a challenge, however – he won 81 per cent of all his one-on-one duels last season – and duly rose to the occasion.

Boateng started Bayern's first game against Arsenal at centre-back alongside Javi Martinez and although the Reds ended up losing 2-1, the score was 0-0 at half-time when Boateng was taken off, having completed 100 per cent of his passes.

No way through: Boateng was at his masterful best against Real Madrid in Houston. - AFP/Getty Images

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Cue appreciative praise from Kovac: "[Boateng’s] performances, both in training and in the match, have been very good. I’m very satisfied with Jerome, as I am with the rest of the squad as well. His concentration and quality are exceedingly good."

Boateng then played the full 90 minutes as Bayern overcame fellow European heavyweights Real Madrid 3-1 in Houston, before returning home to Munich ahead of schedule due to "personal reasons", but secure in the knowledge of a job well done. Süle, Hernandez and Pavard, watch out!

Fiete Arp

Still just 19, Arp arrived at Bayern from Hamburg this summer having made Bundesliga history two years ago by becoming the first player born in this millennium to find the net in Germany's top-flight.

And while the striker is not expected to compete with Robert Lewandowski for a first-team berth just yet, the experience gained by playing alongside, and against, top-class players will only serve to further his development.

Arp played the first 45 minutes in Bayern's first game against Arsenal, doing so in an unfamiliar position on the left wing and he did well enough to impress Manuel Neuer.

Arp showed a glimpse of his talent in gliding past Real Madrid left-back Marcelo (l.). - 2019 Getty Images

"He's very alert and wants to show what he’s got immediately," said the Germany international. "He’s eager to learn. We have a different pace in training that you can’t compare with Hamburg, but he wants to win the duels and show what he’s got up front."

Arp also started Bayern's next outing against Real Madrid, this time as a striker, and even though he didn't score in the 3-1 victory, he arguably produced the highlight of the match before being brought off at half-time again. In the 38th minute, he dropped a shoulder and dribbled past Marcelo before firing just wide, earning himself a smile and a high-five from the Brazil international in rueful recognition of his skill.

Arp wasn't entirely satisfied with his performance, though. "That's been my only good moment so far," he told Sport1 afterwards. "Today I realised where my limit is, both with and without the ball. The pace of the game was still a bit too much for me."

Watch: Highlights of Bayern's win over Real Madrid

Be that as it may, Kovac only had positive things to say about the youngest member of Bayern's first-team pool.

"Fiete's done very well in both games," he said following the victory over Real. "We want to use pre-season to see him in different positions. He's very committed in training and in our matches. He makes a lot of effort and tries to do everything right. We'll see what the future holds for him."

Arp was a starter again Bayern's final match against AC Milan, coming into the line-up as a last-minute replacement for Lewandowski, who withdrew following the warm-up with muscular complaints. Arp again did well, had a goal disallowed for handball and played the full 90 minutes – not a feat that can be taken for granted at a club with such exacting standards.

Bayern boss Niko Kovac (l.) has liked what he's seen of Arp so far. - 2019 Getty Images

Benjamin Pavard

You've heard of square pegs being forced into round holes? Well Pavard is able to shape-shift with such ease that he renders such issues redundant; indeed, the only problem Kovac will have is how to accommodate the wealth of defensive talent at his disposal.

The 47-year-old admitted as much during Bayern's time in the US after watching Pavard in action. "You can see it was no accident that he won the World Cup," he said. "In his positions, it won't be easy to decide who plays where and when."

His positions are right-back, the role he occupied en route to World Cup glory last year, and centre-back. Joshua Kimmich has made the former his own in recent seasons, while Boateng, Süle, Hernandez and even Martinez will be jostling for places at the heart of defence.

Pavard oozed his World Cup-winning class in his first appearances in a Bayern shirt in Los Angeles, Houston and Kansas City. - 2019 Getty Images

Pavard's first outing in a Bayern shirt was at centre-back alongside Süle as a second-half substitute against Arsenal, and he came off the bench at the interval once more against Real Madrid – only this time at right-back as Kimmich moved forward into defensive midfield. In Bayern's final game he played from start to finish at centre-back in the comfortable win over AC Milan.

Assured in possession, unruffled under pressure and a monster in the tackle – despite his boy-next-door appearance – Pavard looks set to be a real asset for the defending Bundesliga champions wherever he is on the pitch

"I don't mind where I play," he told Sport1. "I put myself at the service of the team and play where the coach wants me to. I'm just happy when I play."

Kovac, you suspect, feels the same.

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