Upamecano extension shaky: Bayern already have a plan B | OneFootball

The hanging game surrounding Dayot Upamecano is forcing FC Bayern to reflect. While the Frenchman continues to hesitate with a decision on his future, possible alternatives are slowly but noticeably coming into focus. One name that is being mentioned more and more frequently comes from one of Munich’s most recent Bundesliga opponents.

Dayot Upamecano has not yet given FC Bayern a final commitment to extend his contract. Talks are dragging on and a decision has yet to be made. This is more than just a side issue for Munich. Upamecano is an established player, forms the regular duo in central defence together with Jonathan Tah and is one of the cornerstones of the current team.

At the same time, those responsible at Säbener Straße know that they need to be prepared. Should the extension with the 27-year-old fall through, there would be a gap in the summer not only in sporting terms, but also structurally. Bayern are sounding out the market in the background for precisely this scenario – without actionism, but with clear options in mind.

Vuskovic convinces – even against FC Bayern

One of these options could be Luka Vuskovic. The 18-year-old centre-back is far more than just a promising talent at Hamburger SV. On loan from Tottenham Hotspur, the Croatian has quickly developed into the Bundesliga club’s defensive leader. With his physical presence, calmness on the ball and dominance in tackles, he is attracting attention throughout the league.

Vuskovic also proved his class in the direct duel against FC Bayern. In the north-south clash, he scored the 2:2 equalizer and was once again the focal point in the HSV defense. Vuskovic was voted player of the match. A performance that should not have gone unnoticed by the Munich officials. According to the tz, Bayern have the young defender on their radar and are watching his development very closely.

Praise from Hamann and Kompany

photo: IMAGO

Sky pundit Didi Hamann recently had remarkably clear words for the youngster. „I can’t think of a comparable player in the last ten or twelve years,“ enthused the former Bayern professional. Hamann is particularly impressed by the maturity of the 1.93-metre centre-back. „Physically, he’s a man with great goalscoring ability and great skills. It’s impressive how stable he is at the age of 18 and almost leads the defence,“ said Hamann.

The figures also back up this impression. Vuskovic wins 69.34 per cent of his duels in the Bundesliga. In comparison: Jonathan Tah comes in at 60.94 per cent, Minjae Kim at 57.50 per cent and Dayot Upamecano at 55.98 per cent. The HSV professional is extremely strong in the air in particular and provides his team with enormous stability.

Coach Vincent Kompany, who himself once played for HSV, also expressed his appreciation. „He’s a great talent, the development in the Bundesliga for a young centre-back – it’s a difficult league, you have to be physically strong. Having an important role at HSV is ideal,“ explained the Bayern coach ahead of the clash. With a wink, he added: „I just hope he doesn’t play well against us at the weekend.“

Bayern keeping in touch – but still without a concrete push

According to the Hamburger Morgenpost, Bayern have made contact with the player several times in recent months. However, this has been less about concrete negotiations and more about a classic „keeping warm“ approach to the personnel issue. An approach that fits the current situation. As long as Upamecano’s future remains unclear, there will be no big push in Munich.

Should the Frenchman extend his contract, a costly defensive transfer in the summer would hardly be feasible – neither financially nor in sporting terms. Only if Upamecano were to leave would a real vacancy open up at FC Bayern, in which case the name Vuskovic could gain serious importance.

Decision only after the World Cup

Vuskovic himself is also taking his time. The centre-back moved from Hajduk Split to Tottenham in the summer of 2025 for around eleven million euros and was subsequently loaned out to HSV. His market value is now estimated at around 40 million euros.

„We’ll decide after the World Cup how to proceed, what’s best for me,“ Vuskovic recently explained in an interview with Sport BILD. So it’s clear that patience is required for both the player and FC Bayern. But should Upamecano leave the record champions, a talent under observation could become a concrete transfer target sooner than expected.