After months of sometimes curious contract wrangling, one thing is certain: Dayot Upamecano is staying at FC Bayern – a decision that goes far beyond his own future and will have a significant impact on the Munich club’s defensive squad planning
With Dayot Upamecano’s impending contract extension, FC Bayern have secured planning certainty in the center of defence at an early stage. Together with Jonathan Tah, the French international will form Munich’s set centre-back duo until at least the summer of 2027. The chemistry between the two has already impressed on several occasions this season, both in the Bundesliga and at international level
For coach Vincent Kompany, this constellation means one thing above all: reliability. Bayern’s defence has long been considered too shaky. The Tah-Upamecano duo is now a fixed point. It is precisely this stability that those responsible now want to secure in the long term – and have closed a central construction site issue with the agreement
Schlotterbeck no longer plays a role in Munich
Keeping Upamecano also reduces the pressure to act on the transfer market. If the Frenchman had left on a free transfer, FC Bayern would have had to react – presumably with an expensive solution. One of the names that kept coming up in this context was Nico Schlotterbeck from Borussia Dortmund
According to rumours, the 26-year-old had even speculated on a move to the record champions and deliberately delayed his own contract talks at BVB. But this option is off the table. As Sky reports, a Schlotterbeck transfer to Munich has been practically ruled out with the extension of Upamecano. FC Bayern no longer see a need for another top centre-back of this category in the center of defence
Kim remains a sales candidate – focus shifts
While the positions of Tah and Upamecano are clearly defined, another name is coming more into focus: Minjae Kim. Despite his long-term contract, the South Korean remains a candidate for sale. According to Sky, Bayern will continue to try to sell Kim in the summer should a suitable opportunity arise
There was already concrete interest from England, Spain, Italy and Turkey in the winter, but Kim himself rejected a move. This does little to change Bayern’s fundamental stance. With Hiroki Ito and Josip Stanisic, two flexible alternatives are already available, with Stanisic in particular being increasingly planned in the center of defence in the coming season – provided that Munich solve their next big construction site
Regardless of the situation in central defense, Max Eberl now has another topic at the top of his list of priorities: signing a new right-back. Upamecano’s extension creates financial and structural leeway for this – and ensures that Bayern can focus more clearly than ever on their summer plans