Bayern or Bayer? Josip Stanisic’s future has been decided

Last weekend, Bayern loanee Josip Stanisic secured the German championship with Bayer Leverkusen. Most recently, there were rumours that he might stay with the Werkself. But now the Croatian’s future has apparently been decided.

As reported by BILD, Josip Stanisic will definitely return to Säbener Straße in the summer. The defensive all-rounder knows that he belongs at FC Bayern and will therefore by no means resist a return. On the contrary, he can imagine a long-term future at FCB.

This is partly due to the fact that Thomas Tuchel and Bayern will go their separate ways at the end of the season. Stanisic would probably have taken a much more critical view of working with the 50-year-old. The Croatian international hardly got a chance under Tuchel, which is one of the reasons why he moved to Leverkusen on loan.

Stanisic mourns Alonso

In March, the 23-year-old had left his sporting future open: „I haven’t given it any thought yet. The season is still long, we’re in all three competitions, that’s the focus. After that comes the European Championships. What happens beyond that is still written in the stars,“ he explained.

After Xabi Alonso announced that he would be staying at Leverkusen, Stanisic was disappointed: „It’s a bit of a shame for me, of course. I had perhaps hoped for a different outcome.“ At the same time, he hinted at a return to FC Bayern: „I’ve known Xabi Alonso for a year now, I know how good he is: to the team, to me personally. It might have been nice to continue working with him.“

Loan with fatal consequences

Josip Stanisic was loaned out to Bayer Leverkusen in the summer of 2023, as the talented full-back had little prospect of playing time in Munich. In retrospect, this decision was the subject of some controversy.

On the one hand, because FC Bayern repeatedly struggled with personnel problems in defence over the course of the season. On the other hand, because Stanisic put in strong performances in the second half of the season, helping Leverkusen to the first league title in the club’s history. His opening goal in the Werkself’s 3:0 win against FCB is particularly memorable.