Poker for stardom
Will Bavaria’s big wish come true before Christmas?
December 15, 2025 – 9:12 a.mReading time: 2 minutes
FC Bayern’s contract poker with Dayot Upamecano continues to escalate. Will there be a quick decision now?
Dayot Upamecano wasn’t even on the pitch in FC Bayern’s 2-2 draw in the last home game of the year against Mainz 05. Together with his regular partner in central defense Jonathan Tah, Upamecano was rested and did not play.
The Munich star defender was still the topic afterwards. The poker over the possible extension of his contract, which expires at the end of the season, is finally getting more and more heated. When asked about this after the game in the arena’s catacombs, sports director Max Eberl said: “Basically, I’m very confident. I’ve said that several times.”
Eberl added that it was the “great wish” of those responsible to extend the expiring working paper of the French international and emphasized: “What keeps circling around us now: he canceled, threats, ultimatums – all nonsense. We talk very well. The eye of the needle is getting smaller and then he has to go through the eye of the needle. My wish would be: through the eye of the needle and not past it.
How a 1.86 meter tall and almost 90 kilogram athlete like Upamecano is supposed to fit through one? “He can do it,” said Eberl and smiled, “he’s very delicate.”
With a contract extension with Upamecano, Eberl and Bayern would fulfill a big Christmas wish for many fans. “I don’t know what else is behind the individual doors in the Advent calendar – 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20,” said Eberl and grinned. A successful conclusion of the negotiations in 2025 “would be desirable, but I can’t promise that,” he added, but a postponement to 2026 would not be a drama for Bayern.
However, from January 1st, Upamecano will also be allowed to officially negotiate with other clubs. Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, among others, as well as several top English clubs are said to be interested in him. What makes Upamecano particularly attractive for the other clubs: As of now, the 27-year-old could leave Bayern for a free transfer after this season. Upamecano moved from RB Leipzig to the record champions in 2021 for 42.5 million euros. He has so far played 172 competitive games (six goals) for Munich.