Hiroki Ito’s future at FC Bayern is on shaky ground. After a mixed time at Säbener Straße, the Japanese international could leave the record champions again in the summer – causing movement on the transfer market
As the portal Sports Boom reports, those responsible at FC Bayern are not ruling out the possibility of selling the 26-year-old. Although Ito is not considered the number one candidate for sale internally, the Munich club are said to be open to talks if a suitable offer is made. The main reason for this is his disappointing record to date since moving from VfB Stuttgart in the summer of 2024
Signed for around €23 million, Ito has so far failed to live up to expectations. He has been repeatedly set back by injuries and has only made 28 competitive appearances in total, just twelve of which were in the starting eleven. That is not enough for a player who was expected to be an immediate reinforcement
Premier League with a clear trend
The situation has long since aroused the interest of other clubs, with concrete inquiries coming from England in particular. Brighton & Hove Albion, Leeds United and West Ham United are said to be looking closely at a possible transfer
Interestingly, according to the report, Ito himself is said to be open to a move – and would prefer the Premier League in particular. The desire for more playing time plays a central role here, which he is currently not guaranteed at FC Bayern
Borussia Dortmund are also rumored to be interested in the defender, although a move within the Bundesliga does not appear to be the player’s top priority at present
Bayern set a clear asking price
One thing is clear: Munich will not let Ito go for less than he is worth. His contract runs until 2028, which puts the club in a comfortable negotiating position. Internally, a transfer fee of around 30 million euros is apparently being targeted
According to reports, however, Bayern could be willing to discuss offers starting at around €25 million. It remains to be seen whether a club will put this sum on the table – Borussia Dortmund in particular is likely to hesitate at this level
For FC Bayern, a sale would at least make financial sense: after a period marked by injuries, they could make a transfer profit and create space in the squad at the same time
The coming weeks should show whether Ito still has a future in Munich – or whether his time at the German record champions is coming to an end sooner than originally planned.