Bayern Munich attacker Thomas Müller is looking forward to the new Bundesliga season and a renewed title challenge from Borussia Dortmund, who missed out on the Meisterschale by two points in May.

Niko Kovac's charges started their pre-season preparations on 8 July and kick-off the new league campaign at home to Hertha Berlin on 16 August, with a Supercup clash away to Dortmund before then on 3 August.

"It's going to be an exciting season," said the 29-year-old in an interview with the club's in-house media channel BayernTV after a grueling training session this week.

"Dortmund were really good last season and now they've tried to improve their squad. We'll have to wait and see how their new signings perform. I think the Bundesliga can look forward to the new season, as I am too. It's going to be interesting and it'll be fun to be top of the table."

Watch: Thomas Müller's roots

While the first opportunity to earn points in the Bundesliga remains several weeks away, of more immediate concern to Müller was adjusting to a changing room without the likes of long-serving trio Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery and Rafinha, who all departed over the summer.

"It's a special situation for all of us and for me personally," said the 100-time Germany international. "Several of my old buddies left the club and I spent my entire career playing alongside them. Now it's a new situation and we all have to adapt to it. But we're in good shape in terms of working hard on the training pitch."

The legwork currently being done at Bayern's Säbener Strasse training complex is aimed at standing them in good stead for a three-pronged assault on silverware in 2019/20, but before then the club travel to the USA, where they will play Arsenal, Real Madrid and AC Milan in the International Champions Cup this month.

Despite lung-busting pre-season conditioning sessions on the training pitch, Müller's characteristic good mood remains intact. - imago images / Lackovic

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While new signing Lucas Hernandez will remain in Munich following knee surgery, fellow summer arrivals Benjamin Pavard and Fiete Arp will travel with the squad to the States, as will a high-profile addition to Kovac's coaching staff: former Germany assistant Hansi Flick.

"Obviously several of us know him from the German national team," said Müller. "He's a very sociable and open guy so there are no difficulties adapting to that."

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