A tough transfer January is coming up. At FC Bayern in particular, they have some construction sites that need to be addressed.
The new year has begun – and with it the winter transfer window has opened. The clubs have until February 3rd to sell and sign players. Things will be particularly exciting at FC Bayern until then. The record champions are unlikely to make any major transfers, but there could be increased concern that other top teams will begin to contact some stars whose contracts are expiring next summer and thus cause unrest. This has been officially permitted since the beginning of the year, and contracts can even be signed.
The contracts of seven players are expiring: Manuel Neuer, Sven Ulreich, Thomas Müller, Joshua Kimmich, Leroy Sané, Alphonso Davies and Eric Dier. “We will try to make the best possible decisions for the summer of 2025,” said Max Eberl recently. The sports director has an intense few weeks ahead of him and the fans are expecting success reports from the negotiator.
So far, the only thing that has been considered a done deal is the extension with goalkeeper Neuer by one year. According to the “Bild” newspaper, it also seems clear that his deputy Ulreich will extend it again until 2026. Whether as number two or three doesn’t seem to be clear yet. And the other five?
The future is open for world champion Thomas Müller. “We are approaching the new year with momentum, energy, zeal and desire,” said the original Bavarian in a social media post about the new year. Will he continue in Munich from the summer onwards – or will he even end his career at the end of the season? It was recently indicated by Leroy Sané, who would actually like to stay, that Bayern will no longer be able to continue from the summer onwards.
According to a report by “Sport Bild”, the Bayern bosses are said to have held internal discussions before Christmas in which continued cooperation was critically assessed and the thumb was lowered for the time being (you can read more about this here). Therefore, patience with Sané, who was rarely able to consistently utilize his great potential, seems to have run out. There are many signs that a separation could occur after five years.
That leaves Kimmich, Davies and Dier. While Dier still found favor with former coach Thomas Tuchel, successor Vincent Kompany has less trust in the Englishman. Dier was only allowed to play nine times in the first half of the year; he did not play the full game or be in the starting line-up. At the moment it seems as if there will be a farewell in the summer.
However, the conditions for Joshua Kimmich and Alphonso Davies are completely different. Kimmich should become the new figurehead for the record champions – and should be retained at all costs. Finally, the DFB captain emphasized that he would deal with the question of the future with his family around Christmas.
As the pay TV broadcaster Sky then reported, those responsible at Bayern don’t want to wait any longer anyway. They are demanding a clear announcement from Kimmich regarding his future – at the beginning of January. So will a decision be made soon? Unlikely. Although the Munich team is offering the 29-year-old a long-term contract, two top international clubs are said to have Kimmich in their sights: Manchester City and FC Barcelona.
Another problem for Bayern is that they would probably have let Kimmich go in the summer if they had made a suitable offer. A circumstance that is said to have irritated Kimmich. A reduced salary in the event of a contract extension has also been discussed in recent weeks.
There have been rumors about Real Madrid’s interest in the Canadian Davies for months. The Royals really want to sign the left-back. However, after he has stabilized again and is showing very good performances, Bayern are said to be very interested in extending the expiring contract. He should already have a new contract offer.