Bundesliga insider outlines ‘problem’ which could aid Liverpool in pursuit of 6 ft 2 ‘leader’ | OneFootball

A Bundesliga insider has hinted at some potential encouragement for Liverpool in their reported interest in a player from the German top flight.

Within the past couple of weeks, Christian Falk indicated that the Reds are ‘ready’ to enter the race to sign Dayot Upamecano, who’s now into the final nine months of his current contract at Bayern Munich.

In the past 24 hours, Fabrizio Romano shared quotes from the Allianz Arena hierarchy that they’re hopeful of finding a successful resolution to ‘ongoing’ talks over a potential new deal in Bavaria for the 26-year-old.

Liverpool remain interested in Upamecano amid ongoing contract talks

In an update for CF Bayern Insider on Monday, Falk outlined that Liverpool remain interested in the France international, whose desire for a sizeable signing-on fee if he’s to pen a new contract in Munich isn’t being met by the club as of yet.

The Bundesliga expert said: “The talks about a new contract for Dayot Upamecano and Bayern are still ongoing, so there’s no agreement yet. It’s not a problem about the base salary; it’s a problem about the signing fee.

“Alphonso Davies got about €20m [£17.4m] of a signing fee when he signed a new contract at Bayern Munich. Upamecano and his agents know that, so they also want a high signing fee, but Bayern at the moment don’t want to pay it.

“There are many interested clubs at the moment for Upamecano because he is a free agent in the summer. There is Liverpool, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid. Everybody is watching what will happen with Upamecano and Bayern. The club are still optimistic that they’ll find an agreement, but we know there is no agreement yet.”

(Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)

The door remains open for Liverpool to pounce…

Liverpool and Bayern both find themselves in an uncannily similar situation, namely that they have a 26-year-old French centre-back in the final year of his contract and, at present, a resolution not seeming imminent.

It’s not unfathomable that Upamecano could come to Anfield as a straight replacement for Ibrahima Konate next summer, although Arne Slot will be desperate not to lose our current number 5 despite his much-criticised start to this season.

The 6 foot 2 defender is highly regarded by Bayern’s sporting director Christoph Freund, who proclaimed earlier this year that the Frenchman has ‘become a leader’ in Vincent Kompany’s line-up (bundesliga.com), and to sign a centre-back for free in what should be his peak footballing years would appear to be a marvellous coup if the Reds pull it off.

If Upamecano and the Munich hiearchy can’t resolve the disparity over the prospective signing-on fee, the door could remain open for Liverpool to make their move in 2026, although Falk has indicated an optimism at the Allianz Arena that the 26-year-old will extend his stay with the German champions.

It’s a situation that LFC fans are sure to be watching closely over the coming weeks and months, whilst simultaneously hoping that a resolution to Konate’s future can be found.