Upamecano transfer race: four top clubs chase Bayern defender | OneFootball

Dayot Upamecano faces an uncertain future at Bayern Munich. The French center-back’s contract expires at the end of the season, and negotiations over an extension are not progressing. While the record champions still hope for an agreement, interest from other top clubs is growing rapidly — the list of potential suitors reads like a who’s who of European football.

According to information from BILD, Chelsea have now also entered the race for the defensive leader. Previously, Real Madrid, Liverpool, and Barcelona had already made approaches for Upamecano. The prospect of signing the 26-year-old on a free transfer in the summer makes the French international one of the most sought-after defenders in Europe.

Eberl emphasizes Upamecano’s importance

Photo: IMAGO

Max Eberl emphasized on Friday that extending Upamecano’s contract is the top priority at Bayern. Accordingly, it “trumps everything” at Säbener Straße right now.

The problem: negotiations between Bayern and Upamecano have been dragging on for weeks. Both sides fundamentally want to continue, but their financial expectations are far apart.

While Bayern are sticking to their austerity course and refuse to pay a large signing fee, the player’s camp is demanding a one-off bonus of 17 to 20 million euros. That’s too much for the German record champions — especially at a time when sporting CEO Max Eberl and sporting director Christoph Freund are working on a new salary structure.

The talks are also complicated by Upamecano’s agent, Moussa Sissoko, who is considered a particularly tough negotiator. According to media reports, he actively offered his client to several English top clubs last summer — with the aim of securing the best overall package.

Interest from across Europe — Bayern risk a free-transfer fiasco

It’s no surprise that Upamecano has attracted the attention of the international elite. Under coach Vincent Kompany, the French international has developed into a key pillar in central defense. Together with Jonathan Tah, he forms one of the most stable defensive duos in the Bundesliga.

But the bidding war could prove costly for Bayern: if no agreement is reached, the club could lose the 26-year-old on a free transfer in the summer — a scenario they were determined to avoid at Säbener Straße.

According to Sky, the current trend clearly points to a departure. Given the current course of negotiations, it seems more likely that Upamecano will leave the club at the end of the season.

At the same time, Bayern emphasize that the final word has not yet been spoken. Further talks between the club and the player are planned to find a solution after all.

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