Bayern Munich recently extended the contract of star defender Dayot Upamecano — but it required elevating his wages to the top tier in the German Rekordmeister’s salary structure. And it’s coming off the heels
of a number of other big-money extensions from the previous off-season. How does all that fit within the squad’s overall financial plans, which remain constrained by a sense of discipline?
Sporting chief Max Eberl explained why the cents made sense in an interview with Sport1 chief reporter Stefan Kumberger.
“Of course, the contract extensions cost money. But it costs even more if I have to buy players of the quality of Joshua Kimmich, Jamal Musiala, Alphonso Davies, or Dayot Upamecano — if you can even find them,” Eberl said in comments captured captured by @iMiaSanMia.
“For example, [center-back] Jérémy Jacquet from Stade Rennes would have been a great player for us. But when we see that he’s going to Liverpool at the age of 19 for a reported €70m, we have to consider what’s best for Bayern Munich. And our answer was to pursue Dayot’s contract extension. He knows the club, is in his prime, and is one of the best center-backs in the world. From both a sporting and financial perspective, it’s the right decision. That’s why I’m calling it an ‘internal transfer.’
“The negotiations were definitely not easy, but then again, they rarely are. There are always issues, wishes, and expectations on both sides that need to be reconciled. It was clear from the beginning that Dayot wanted to extend his contract – then it was simply a matter of finding solutions. And we succeeded.”
The Upamecano contract saga, like that of Kimmich and others before him, was drawn out and tense, and made for extended public scrutiny. However, in the grand scheme of things, it can rightly be framed as a more straightforward affair: a negotiation like any other, productively concluded to the satisfaction of both parties.
And with Upamecano in tow, the Bavarians were able to back off the Jacquet pursuit once the interest got too hot. Bayern as a club sure appear to be glad there is no gaping center-back vacancy to address this off-season — and rightly so. There will surely be another center-back signing, and maybe soon. But it should be at a much lower price and risk point. That’s exactly how Bayern likes to operate.
If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on Acast, Spotify, Apple, or any leading podcast distributor…
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