Bayern Munich completed two crucial contract renewals in the past few weeks. Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka have committed their long-term futures to the club. The German Champions will now turn their attention to other players that are coming to an end to current deals.
Niklas Sule is probably the only player left in the squad that has less than one year left on the current deal. The German defender was linked with a move to Chelsea in the summer, but a transfer never materialized into an offer from the last season’s Champions League winners. Sule may have to wait for few more months to get clarity about his future.
According to Christian Falk of SportBild (via iMiaSanMia_en), Bayern has put contract talks with Sule on hold. The German club is likely to reassess the situation in the winter and hold discussions with the defender’s representatives.
Julian Nagelsmann spoke glowingly about Sule at the start of the season and laid down a challenge of getting back to his best. The German defender has repaid the faith of the head coach by delivering strong performances in the first month of the new seasons. He has made a good case for a new deal by forming a solid partnership with Dayot Upamecano in the heart of the defense.
Talks with Niklas Süle over a new contract are currently on hold. Negotiations are expected to get more concrete in winter [@cfbayern] pic.twitter.com/HuEKB35J8B
— Bayern & Die Mannschaft (@iMiaSanMia_en) September 16, 2021
Playing the waiting game could be dangerous for Die Roten since Niklas Sule can talk to interested clubs in January and sign a pre-contract agreement for a free transfer in summer. The German Champions could end up losing him for nothing.
It is a win-win situation for Sule. If he gets considerable game time in the coming months, then Die Roten will eventually offer him a new deal. He will also have the option of picking the next club. In the current transfer market, free transfers hold a big weight. With Sule entering the peak years of his career, he will be attracting attention from numerous top European clubs.
From the club’s perspective, giving Sule half a season before making a decision about a new deal is the right move. Sule has struggled with injuries and fitness in the past couple of seasons. His performances also took a downward turn after enjoying such a promising first two seasons in Bavaria. He looked certain to be the first choice defender for the club and country before suffering a serious knee injury in 2019.
Niklas Sule delivered a very solid performance against Barcelona on Tuesday. He was moved into the right-back position for the final third of the game, but he didn’t put a foot wrong in the big Champions League. The German defender will be hoping to achieve consistency in his performances, which will eventually lead to positive contract talks with the Bavarian club.