Is Bayern Munich experiencing a case of buyer’s remorse?
Just a year ago, the Bavarians inked Alphonso Davies to a new five-year contract that could potentially pay him upward of €20 million per season if he achieves all of his incentives. Now, there are internal grumblings at Bayern Munich about the Canadian’s injury history per Sport1 journalist Stefan Kumberger:
This latest setback comes at a bad time—for Davies, but also for FC Bayern. Even before the injury, club officials were already looking
at his susceptibility to injury with concern. Given his princely salary of an estimated 15 million euros, which can reach up to 20 million with bonuses, the 25-year-old has become too expensive for some club officials. This grumbling could now grow louder.
While the club’s management doesn’t hold his cruciate ligament tear in March 2024 against him, the same can’t be said for his subsequent injuries—professional soccer is a tough and unforgiving business, especially at FC Bayern.
It’s no wonder, then, that Davies is no longer considered unsellable ( SPORT1 reported this in mid-April ). However, should a transfer actually materialize, it could lead both the club and the player into a dead end. Potential suitors are of course aware of the star’s proneness to injury. Furthermore, few clubs are likely to be able to offer a similar salary.
The bad news for the Canadian is that Bayern Munich are already looking for full-backs. This search could intensify if Davies doesn’t recover quickly – and stay fit.
While this report does not indicate that anything is imminent, if does signal at least some stress from the Bavarians about Davies’ long-term viability — if true.
BFW Analysis
If you were wondering if the numbers support the front office’s concern on Davies, they do.
Since the start of the 2020/21 season (and through May 8th), Davies has amassed 16 injuries (not including illnesses), which caused him to 93 games and 599 days of action for Bayern Munich.
However, when FC Bayern signed Davies to his new deal last season, the club was aware of his history. Yes, he tacked on an ACL tear and two other muscular injuries since that time, but there was a pattern that was easily identifiable — if the club was seeking to be more conservative.
During Davies’ contract negotiations, it was revealed that Real Madrid had bailed from the pursuit and Bayern Munich was essentially bidding against itself. Even with that, Davies received a long-term and lucrative deal.
Why? Because the club believed in him and were enamored with the kind of weapon he could be. Simply put, Bayern Munich felt that Davies was worth the gamble, even with a substantial injury history.
That…is life in the big leagues.
Even if Bayern Munich decided to sell Davies, it might be tough to find a trade partner given Davies’ massive salary for a non-premier position — and his injury history. Bayern Munich might have buyer’s remorse, but it was the club, who decided to make the deal with Davies. His torn ACL was extremely unfortunate and his subsequent injuries seem to be begging everyone to shut him down for an extended period once again until his body can get right. The World Cup is in North America, though, and the Canadian will surely want to represent his country. As we know, that will come with a risk.
It was always going to take until about January of 2027 to really see if Davies could come all the way back from his ACL tear, so there is plenty of time for him to get it all together. The 25-year-old is still an explosive and dynamic talent, but professional sports is a tough gig. Clearly, the Bavarians are — at least — going to explore finding a capable backup for the Canadian if his injury issues persist.
As for selling Davies, Bayern Munich would need to find someone willing to take a risk. In today’s financial age, that might not be so easy. For everyone’s sake — Davies, Bayern Munich, fans — let’s all hope this recent stretch of injuries is just a minor bump in the road for what will be a wildly successful career.
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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