Dayot Upamecano is arguably in the best form of his career at FC Bayern. The French national team player has been impressing for weeks with outstanding performances and has become one of the key players under Vincent Kompany. But his strong development, of all things, could become a problem for the German record champions. A tense transfer saga looms this coming summer.
In the 2-0 away win against Atlético Madrid, Upamecano once again demonstrated his exceptional quality. The 28-year-old was strong in one-on-one situations, confident in building up play, and barely allowed even world-class forward Julián Álvarez to make an impact.
In fact, Bayern should be thoroughly satisfied with the development of their defensive leader. After all, it was only in February that club officials managed to extend Upamecano’s contract early through 2030. However, the new contract reportedly contains a clause that could cause the Munich club considerable difficulties next summer.
65-million clause makes Upamecano an attractive prospect
As previously reported in connection with the contract extension, Upamecano is said to have secured a release clause that takes effect in the summer of 2027. Under the terms of the clause, the center back could leave FC Bayern for a fixed transfer fee in the range of 65 million euros. By way of comparison: His current market value is estimated at 75 million euros —and it’s on the rise.
This agreement has not yet been officially confirmed. However, if the clause does indeed exist in this form, Bayern Munich would have only limited room to maneuver should a corresponding offer be made.
Given the Frenchman’s current form, the fee could be attractive to several top European clubs. For many fans and experts, Upamecano is currently among the best defenders in the world.
“He’s playing at an incredible level right now,” DFB World Cup champion Toni Kroos recently emphasized after the convincing performance against Atlético Madrid.
PSG could once again become a problem
One potential suitor is Paris Saint-Germain. The top French club had already been linked to the center back even before Upamecano’s contract extension in February.
As reported by the website Foot Mercato, the 28-year-old could eventually succeed Marquinhos in Paris. The Brazilian has been one of the defining figures in PSG’s defense for many years.
However, there are currently no reports of concrete negotiations regarding a potential transfer in the summer of 2027.
Meanwhile, there are numerous sporting reasons for him to stay at FC Bayern. Under Vincent Kompany, Upamecano has not only made significant individual progress; the entire team is now once again among the top favorites in the Champions League.
The Munich team remains undefeated across all competitions and is on a winning streak both in the Bundesliga and internationally.
In addition, Harry Kane’s Ballon d’Or win has impressively demonstrated that players at FC Bayern, too, can achieve the highest individual recognition in world soccer. Upamecano himself finished in 26th place in this year’s voting.
Nevertheless, his contractual situation remains a potential source of uncertainty for squad planning. If the rumored release clause is indeed valid starting next summer, Bayern would not be able to prevent a transfer—provided the agreed-upon conditions are met—simply by demanding a higher transfer fee.
The decisive factor would then be, above all, whether Upamecano continues to see his athletic future in Munich.
The record champions therefore remain hopeful that the positive development under Kompany and the on-field prospects will carry more weight than potential offers from abroad.