Transfers – Kimmich confirms he was close to joining PSG

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·8. Juni 2026

Transfers – Kimmich confirms he was close to joining PSG

In a documentary broadcast by ZDF, Joshua Kimmich, the 31-year-old Bayern Munich and Germany midfielder, looked back on Paris Saint-Germain’s interest in the summer of 2024. The German international confirmed a very concrete approach from Paris, with Luis Campos and Luis Enrique directly involved.

Kimmich: “I was 95% sure I wouldn’t extend”

“The support from the club was not what I had hoped for or wanted. I had the feeling that Bayern were completely willing to let me leave (in the summer of 2024). That does not help strengthen the bond between the club and the player. I spoke with Max Eberl. He confirmed it to me once again: ‘if you want to leave, then you are on the market, it’s possible.’ At that moment, I didn’t know what it would take for me to extend my contract. I was 95% sure I wouldn’t extend.”

This first part adds weight to a rumor that had been discussed for a long time without ever being fully confirmed publicly. Kimmich is not only talking about outside interest: above all, he explains that his bond with Bayern Munich had weakened. For Paris Saint-Germain, this window of uncertainty represented exactly the kind of opportunity to monitor in an experienced player capable of bringing control, leadership, and a culture of the very highest level.

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Kimmich: “Paris showed me strong commitment”

“Paris was a club that showed me strong commitment. A commitment I didn’t really expect. I spoke with the sporting director (Luis Campos) and the coach (Luis Enrique). I have to say they did an excellent job and gave me the impression that they really wanted me, so naturally, you start thinking about it. It really made me think. I was supposed to be an important piece of the puzzle there, as a slightly more experienced player. And that obviously has an effect on you.”

This is the most concrete passage for PSG. Kimmich directly mentions Luis Campos and Luis Enrique, which gives the matter a different dimension. We are no longer talking about a simple transfer rumor or distant interest: Paris had built a real sporting pitch. The club clearly wanted to make him an important part of the project, in a squad where his experience would have carried obvious weight.

Kimmich: “The financial aspect was incredible”

“Paris made me an offer. The financial aspect was incredible. Really. Very, very incredible, I have to say. But I didn’t want that to be the decisive factor. It’s not as if I were single and only had to make decisions for myself and my career. I also have the responsibility to make decisions for my family members and to do what is right.”

The financial dimension confirms that Paris Saint-Germain was ready to go a long way. But Kimmich also stresses an essential point: his decision did not depend only on the contract offered. For Paris, this case is a reminder that a transfer move can be solid, coherent, and ambitious without necessarily succeeding. With this type of player, family comfort, status at Bayern, and renewed trust matter just as much as the offer.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here.