The contract talks with Dayot Upamecano are dragging on – but a clear signal has come from a Bayern colleague. Jonathan Tah has clearly positioned himself ahead of the Champions League match at PSV Eindhoven and makes no secret of how much he would like his team-mate to stay.
At the press conference ahead of the clash in the Netherlands, the central defender had very clear words for his defensive partner: „Of course I want him to stay and extend his contract. I think I tell him that a hundred times a day. He covers pretty much everything that is required of a modern central defender today,“ explained Tah.
The new summer signing was not only concerned with Upamecano’s athletic quality. The Frenchman also seems to play a central role for him on a personal level. „Dayot is someone I really like – not just on the pitch, but also off it. The way he helped to welcome me was special. I would be delighted if we continue to play together,“ said Tah.
The statements come at a time when the contract poker surrounding Upamecano is entering its decisive phase. FC Bayern have a final offer on the table and are waiting for a response from the 27-year-old. Internally, they want clarity as soon as possible – both in sporting terms and in terms of squad planning for the summer.
Tah looks ahead after Augsburg defeat
In addition to the personnel issues, Tah also spoke about the sporting situation following the surprising 2:1 defeat against FC Augsburg. For the centre-back, it is clear that the team must draw the right conclusions from this. „We don’t just have to perform, we want to perform – that’s an intrinsic motivation. We learn from every game. From the Augsburg game in particular, we learn that we want to keep the energy level up in the second half. And the question: What small screws can we turn to achieve this? Tomorrow, of course, we want to win the game.“
There was no sign of a negative mood or even unrest after the first league defeat of the season. „When you lose, you’re never in a good mood. But there was no defiance, we’re all experienced enough and know how to deal with defeats. You don’t just experience defeats in soccer, you also learn from them off the pitch. We’re fully focused and motivated for the game,“ Tah made clear.