Bayern Munich learn lessons from David Alaba contract saga
Bayern Munich is reportedly going to alter approach towards contract negotiations.
The negotiations with David Alaba for a new contract have been tedious for Bayern Munich. The Austrian defender has less than ten months on his current contract. Latest reports in Germany suggest that Alaba’s representative have rejected the third offer from the German club.
According to Kicker (via Fussballtransfers), Bayern does not want to find themselves in a similar position while negotiating contracts for important players. As of now, Leon Goretzka and Niklas Sule are players that need a contract extension since their deal ends in 2022, but the German media outlet confirms that talks are yet to commence with both players.
Apart from Alaba, Javi Martinez and Jerome Boateng also have contracts expiring next summer. The veteran players are unlikely to get new deals as they are entering the twilight of their careers. Moreover, they are not guaranteed starters in the first team as of now.
Martinez was heavily linked with a move to Athletic Bilbao in summer, but a move didn’t materialize. Boateng is open to staying at the club after enjoying good form under Hansi Flick, but there has been no talk about a new deal yet.
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The club did well to secure the futures of Manuel Neuer and Thomas Muller in April. Both players were facing an uncertain future for different reasons 12 months ago, but Flick’s arrival and good performances on the pitch made sure that Die Roten offered them new deals.
Die Roten did lose Thiago Alcantara to Liverpool in similar circumstances. The Spaniard rejected the new deal offered by the club as he wanted a new adventure in his career. In the case of Alaba, the player is firm on wage demands that the club finds excessive, making the negotiations difficult. The Austrian defender will be free to negotiate with interested clubs in January if the German Champions do not find an agreement on a new contract.
Adapting an approach to wait till the final 18 months of the contract to start negotiation works for players that are above 30. However, using the same method against young players may hurt Die Roten. They were proactive with contract renewals of Serge Gnabry, Kingsley Coman, and Alphonso Davies. Die Roten needs to show similar urgency with Goretzka and Sule.
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Meanwhile, Bayern’s hand is strengthened by the sporting project they can offer to players. They are currently coming back off a treble-winning campaign, so there is no better club for young players in Europe right now. Alaba’s contract situation has been frustrating, so it will be interesting to see how the club makes amends in the future.