For extensions & free transfers
©IMAGO
FC Bayern invested 95.8 million euros in the last twelve months in signing five new players – according to the “Kicker”, the Munich team also paid almost 100 million euros in earnest money during this time.
The big extension offensive on Säbener Straße started in February 2025: Alphonso Davies started, followed by Jamal Musiala and Joshua Kimmich. While Davies is expected to have a hand money of up to 22 million euros, Musiala’s is expected to be significantly lower. In the case of Kimmich, “Sport Bild” reported that perhaps no bonus was necessary to convince the veteran to stay – after all, with around 20 million euros, he is one of the best-paid midfielders in the world.
Bayern have been waiting for Dayot Upamecano’s signature for almost a year. Now it is said that it is only a matter of time and that they want to reward him with a deposit of 15 million to 20 million euros. It is unclear whether the bonus will be paid out all at once or over the duration of the contract until 2030. In order to get to the almost 100 million euros in hand money rumored by “Kicker”, Jonathan Tah and Tom Bischof are also mentioned, who only came from Bayer Leverkusen and 1899 Hoffenheim on a quasi-free transfer. The fact that a transfer fee of 2 million euros was due for Tah and 300,000 euros for Bishop was due to the fact that the Munich team wanted to take the duo to the Club World Cup in June, even though their contracts with their old clubs were valid until June 30th.
According to media reports, Tah is said to have received a bonus of 10 million to 12 million euros, while Bischof received 7 million to 9 million euros. The “Kicker” writes that Jonas Urbig was even given the so-called signing bonus for his signature. The goalkeeper moved from 1. FC Köln to Munich on January 27, 2025 for a fee of 7 million euros.
If you assume that the professionals mentioned have the highest hand money that is circulating in the media, you still don’t get almost 100 million euros, but a trend can be seen: FC Bayern also has to dig into their pockets for players to whom they offer a salary that is on the top shelf in an international comparison in order to keep their best. Stars with expiring contracts have great power – and they use it. Upamecano is currently testing them to the limit.
Even though the record champions paid around 80 million euros in deposits for the seven names mentioned, they signed players for the long term – including Upamecano – who today have a market value of 372 million euros. This summer, six working papers will end on Säbener Straße, and in 2027 there will be five. Including Harry Kane and Konrad Laimer.
