Things are heating up on the transfer front for Bayern Munich. With David Alaba almost certain to leave the club this summer, the German Rekordmeister are looking for someone who can fill the gap he’ll leave in the defense. The prime target is none other than RB Leipzig’s defensive rock, Dayot Upamecano.
Bayern Chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge already commented on the Upamecano transfer a few days ago, noting that he was a player the club was interested in. Now, according to Sky (as captured by TZ), Bayern are in advanced talks with Dayot Upamecano. The Frenchman reportedly has a release clause worth around 42.5 million euros in his contract, which can be activated this summer. This means that, as long as the bosses can reach an agreement with the player, the transfer is as good as done — no long-winded negotiations with Leipzig will be needed.
While the quoted price is rather high for a defender, especially in this post-pandemic climate, Bayern need someone to step into the shoes of David Alaba next season. The Austrian seems bound for Real Madrid, and there’s a decent chance that Jerome Boateng may follow him out the door. Chris Richards is still young and has minimal Bundesliga experience, while Tanguy Nianzou has yet to start a single game this season on account of his injuries.
In Upamecano, Bayern would be getting a reliable, Bundesliga-proven center-back who can hold his own against both Niklas Sule and Lucas Hernandez. Having played under the likes of Ralph Hasenhuttl and Julian Nagelsmann, the Frenchman is perfectly accustomed to the rigors of a high line and high-pressing system, which means he will be at home in the system employed by Hansi Flick. The only concern is his injury history, which isn’t great.
We’ll keep an eye on this transfer as it develops. Hopefully, the bosses have some good news coming in the next few months. Getting Upamecano would soften the blow of losing Alaba this summer, even if he’s not the same exact kind of player.
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