Hand money is no longer a taboo subject at FC Bayern. While other top European clubs are increasingly taking a hard line when it comes to contract extensions, Munich are remarkably generous. In the space of a year, the German record champions have approved almost 100 million euros in signing fees – a sum that stands out even by international standards
Signing fees are an established instrument in modern professional soccer, especially for free transfers, where they effectively replace the traditional transfer fee. However, FC Bayern has been going one step further for some time now and is also rewarding contract extensions of existing professionals with high bonus payments – an approach that is causing satisfaction internally, but is increasingly being viewed critically externally, as reported by kicker
Bayern are deliberately taking a different approach to Real Madrid
A look at Spain illustrates the contrast. Real Madrid, long known for big deals and lavish contracts, are now much more restrictive when it comes to extensions. As kicker has learned from Spain, the club’s management recently consistently refused to pay Vinícius Júnior the €20 million hand money he had demanded. The clear message from the royals: either the player extends his contract on the terms offered – or he has to leave the club. Even in the case of a superstar like Vinícius Júnior, the club’s management did not deviate from this line
The situation at Säbener Straße is completely different. FC Bayern continues to reward loyalty and long-term commitment financially. Alphonso Davies, Jamal Musiala and Joshua Kimmich all received generous signing fees when they extended their contracts last year. The club also dug deep into its pockets for external new signings such as Jonathan Tah, Tom Bischof and Jonas Urbig
Upamecano as the next piece of the million-euro puzzle
Dayot Upamecano has now joined the ranks. In the wake of the French international’s impending contract extension, there is talk of hand money amounting to at least €15 million. Whether this sum will be paid out as a one-off payment or spread over the term of the contract is still unclear. What is certain, however, is that should Upamecano sign a contract until 2030, the total amount of hand money approved would amount to almost €100 million within a year
This makes Bayern one of the most generous employers in top-flight soccer in Europe. While many top clubs try to stabilise the salary structure and avoid additional costs, hand money has clearly established itself as a permanent instrument of squad policy at FC Bayern. It remains to be seen whether this strategy will bring long-term financial benefits or create new dependencies, but one thing is clear: in Munich, loyalty is not only rewarded in sporting terms, but also financially.