FC Bayern are working flat out on the future of Dayot Upamecano and are apparently prepared to deviate from their current policy. The Munich club are considering a sensitive concession in order to keep the defender for the long term
The contract poker between FC Bayern and Dayot Upamecano has been dragging on for months. The French international is tied to the German record champions until the summer of 2026, but an agreement on an extension has yet to be reached. The 27-year-old is undisputed in sporting terms. Under Vincent Kompany, Upamecano has established himself as a fixture in defence and is one of the most important pillars of Munich’s back four
However, it has now been revealed that the stalled talks could be gaining momentum. According to BILD, FC Bayern are seriously considering making concessions to Upamecano on one crucial point. The focus is on a possible exit clause – or more precisely, the timing of it
The sticking point in the negotiations
In financial terms, the club and the player already seem to be largely on the same page. A top salary and a high signing bonus in the region of almost 20 million euros are no longer considered to be the problem. The real point of contention is rather the question of how flexible Upamecano should remain in the event of a contract extension
The player’s side is pushing for an exit clause of around €65 million, which would take effect from the first year after the extension. This means that the central defender could leave the club for a fixed sum from the summer of 2027. Bayern, on the other hand, had previously insisted on activating this option one year later in order to have at least two more years of planning security
It is precisely at this point that a rethink is now set to begin. In order not to jeopardize the extension, FC Bayern are apparently weighing up whether to accept Upamecano’s wish for an earlier exit option – a move that is being discussed quite controversially internally
Why Bayern are prepared to rethink
The background is clear: the competition is not sleeping. With Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, several European heavyweights are said to be showing great interest in Upamecano. Both clubs would easily be in a financial position to make the Frenchman a high-dollar offer – in sporting terms anyway
This raises a strategic question for Bayern. Without an extension, a player who currently has a market value of around €70 million could leave on a free transfer by 2026 at the latest. An immediate exit clause would represent a risk, but would at least give the club planning security and a guaranteed income in the event of an emergency
With a transfer fee of around €65 million, a high-quality replacement could certainly be financed in the event of a departure. In addition, the record champions would keep Upamecano for at least another year – a period that could be extremely valuable given their sporting ambitions
This is precisely the train of thought of those responsible: it is better to take a controlled risk than to lose the player without anything in return, especially as Upamecano himself is said to be open to staying in Munich if the conditions are right.