What do Josip Stanisic and Malik Tillman have in common? They won the league title this season despite being under contract with FC Bayern. Other FCB loan players also caused a stir with strong performances. Tillman’s future is clear, but not for everyone.
FCB’s loan players have been on fire this season. Two league titles plus a Champions League qualification are impressive. Malik Tillman impressed so much at PSV Eindhoven that the Dutch club did not want to let him go and have now signed him permanently. As things stand, another player on loan will return in the summer.
FCBinside provides an overview.
Malik Tillman:
On loan to PSV Eindhoven until 30.6.2024
Contract with FC Bayern runs until 30.6.2026
Nine goals and eleven assists for PSV Eindhoven. Bayern loanee Malik Tillman has instantly made it into the top 10 scorers in the Dutch Eredivisie and can call himself Dutch champion.
He feels comfortable in coach Peter Bosz’s attacking 4-3-3, wearing the ten on his back. And that’s why he didn’t want to go back to Bayern. „That depends more on the clubs than on me. I would be happy to stay,“ said Tillman recently on ESPN.
FCB and PSV granted him this wish. The Dutch club used a purchase option to sign Tillman permanently until 2028. It is said to have been 12.5 million euros. According to reports, Munich could have bought this purchase option from Eindhoven for three million euros, but decided against it.
„Malik Tillman came to FC Bayern as a youth player, developed into a professional here over the years and has now become a key player in Eindhoven. He continues the long list of young talents who have made their mark in professional football after training at FC Bayern,“ said sporting director Christoph Freund, commenting positively on the deal.
Josip Stanisic:
On loan to Bayern Leverkusen until 30 June 2024
Contract with FC Bayern until 30.6.2026
It was the straw that broke the camel’s back for Uli Hoeneß. When Josip Stanisic, of all people, gave Leverkusen the lead against FCB in the 18th minute of the top match, Hoeneß‘ positive opinion of coach Thomas Tuchel was over. Some Munich bosses did not want Stanisic to move to Bayer last summer. But the defender had no prospects under Tuchel. It was a completely different story with Xabi Alonso at Leverkusen. The Croatian not only scored against Bayern, but also prevented an end to Leverkusen’s record unbeaten run against Dortmund and in the Europa League semi-final against AS Roma with his last-minute goals. When Odilon Kossouno was at the Africa Cup, Stanisic earned himself a regular place at right-back thanks to his reliable performances.
Bayern could have done with a right-back last season. Noussair Mazraoui was repeatedly injured and 30-million winter signing Sacha Boey did not prove to be a reinforcement. Only since Joshua Kimmich moved into this position have Munich been more stable there. However, with Kimmich’s future at Bayern still unclear, it is all the more important that Stanisic returns in the summer.
In the meantime, there have been rumours that the 24-year-old could stay in Leverkusen after all as part of a swap deal with Jonathan Tah. However, according to Sport BILD, Bayern definitely want to bring him back to Munich. They don’t want to see Stanisic concede a goal again.
Alexander Nübel:
On loan to Stuttgart until 30 June 2026
Contract with FC Bayern until 30.6.2029
Not only the German champions have a Bayern player in their ranks, but also third-placed VfB Stuttgart. Goalkeeper Alexander Nübel has also played his part in the Swabians‘ upswing this season. Coach Sebastian Hoeneß made him number one and the 27-year-old keeper repaid the trust with reliable performances. vfB have conceded 39 goals this season, two fewer than FC Bayern.
Thanks to continuous match practice in recent years, first in Monaco and now in Stuttgart, Nübel has continued to develop. As number two behind Manuel Neuer, he only played four competitive matches for Bayern in 2020/2021.
The plan is still for Nübel to become Neuer’s successor when he retires. According to media reports, this was agreed during the contract negotiations. Neuer’s contract with Bayern currently runs until 30 June 2025 and the 39-year-old world champion is likely to retire in 2026 at the latest.
Until then, FC Bayern believes its keeper is still in good hands at VfB. After all, he can gain Champions League experience there in the coming season.
Paul Wanner:
On loan to SV Elversberg until 30.6.2024
Contract with FC Bayern until 30.6.2027
Six goals in 26 games, plus four assists. Paul Wanner played a major role in the successful relegation of SV Elversberg, who were promoted to the second division. The 18-year-old also scored in last weekend’s 4:2 win at Hertha BSC.
Wanner made his professional debut under Julian Nagelsmann at the age of 16 years and 15 days. In the current season, FC Bayern’s youngest Bundesliga player has more than just flashed his talent. Those responsible at the FC Bayern Campus, led by sports director Christoph Freund, are said to be very satisfied with Wanner’s development. Above all because he has also become more physically robust.
Nevertheless, he is unlikely to return to Munich in the summer. After the end of his loan in Elversberg, he will be loaned out again, either to a Bundesliga club or a club from the Dutch Eredivisie.
Joshua Zirkzee:
Contract with FC Bologna until 30 June 2026 (FC Bayern right of first refusal)
Joshua Zirkzee no longer belongs on the Bayern loan list. After a year at RSC Anderlecht, FCB sold the striker to FC Bologna. However, the record champions still have a right of first refusal for Zirkzee and are therefore keeping a close eye on his performances in Serie A.
And they are impressive. The 22-year-old has scored eleven goals in 33 games for Bologna. The northern Italian club is well on its way to qualifying for the Champions League. According to Gazzetta dello Sport, the big Serie A clubs – Juventus Turin, Inter and AC Milan – are all vying for the 22-year-old. Up to 50 million euros are being offered. Thanks to a 50 per cent sell-on clause, a Zirkzee transfer in this case would flush 25 million euros into Bayern’s coffers.
Or will FCB forgo the money and use its buy-back right to bring in a replacement for Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting, who will leave Bayern in the summer? Supervisory board member Karl-Heinz Rummenigge recently praised Zirkzee in an interview. Former FCB striker Luca Toni, on the other hand, advised him against a move to Munich, as he would not be able to get past Harry Kane there.
