Serge Gnabry’s future has been hotly debated in the media for weeks. The offensive player’s contract with FC Bayern ends in the summer of 2023, he allegedly turned down a well-paid offer to extend it, and negotiations are now said to be on hold. At a press conference by the DFB team, Gnabry was now confronted with the question of his future career.
When asked about the status of the negotiations with FC Bayern, Gnabry was not amused on Thursday. “I don’t want to comment on my own contract situation here,” the 26-year-old brushed off interest.
However, the German national player took a stand on the term “appreciation”, which has recently been much discussed in the media. Appreciation is a mix of different things that should be shown by both sides, club and player, according to Gnabry, who made it clear: “In the end, it’s not always just what is reported by the media: that everyone from We only ever think about money. There are other things that play a role in the work environment.”
An opinion that not everyone around FC Bayern seems to share. Honorary President Uli Hoeneß recently said in an unequivocal RTL/ntv interview: “The appreciation means the euro, 99 percent.” With David Alaba and Niklas Süle, who left Munich for Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund on a free transfer, “it was just the money,” Hoeneß continued. With Gnabry it is “the same situation as with Süle. I think he has a great offer from FC Bayern and now he has to make a decision”.
Allegedly, Gnabry rejected an offer of 17 to 19 million euros per season. Real Madrid are said to be interested in the attacker.
Theater between FC Bayern and Lewandowski is “a shame”
On Thursday, however, Gnabry took a stand on the exchange theater around Robert Lewandowski: “I think it’s a shame how things are going back and forth,” said the winger.
Should it ultimately come to a separation from the Polish top scorer, Gnabry does not see an unsolvable problem for FC Bayern.
Even without Lewandowski, the offensive “shouldn’t be a problem. Then you try to find a solution together. There are also successful teams without a real centre-forward,” said the native of Stuttgart.
He also dares to play the role in the middle of the storm. As a center forward, he has done a “decent job” in recent years and a “decent quota” could therefore imagine holding the position more often, according to Gnabry.