During the first two months of the new campaign, Bayern Munich enjoyed terrific results on the pitch. Meanwhile, the club has been working off the pitch to make sure that they have a strong squad to achieve success in the present and future.
Die Roten has managed to extend contracts of Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka, while Serge Gnabry is in advanced talks with the club for a new deal. One player that does face an uncertain future in Bavaria is Niklas Sule.
The German defender and Bayern have reportedly delayed the contract talks until the end of the year. However, Sule will be open to negotiating with interested clubs in January since he will be available for free transfer after the end of the season.
Earlier this week, one report in Germany confirmed that Julian Nagelsmann wants Sule to sign a new contract at the club. However, Sule is in no rush to make a decision. While talking to SZ (via Sport1) this week, Sule hinted that he is open to different outcomes regarding his future.
"“My family and I are very happy in Munich, but I still have to figure out what’s best for me. I never said I definitely have to leave, but I never said I definitely have to stay either.”“I know that I owe a lot to Bayern, but I also think Bayern can be very happy with the transfer they made with me back then. If both sides come to the conclusion that we still are a good fit, I would do everything I can to stay here. Otherwise, I could imagine saying: I’m a free agent and I will try something new. Everything is open in every direction. I can imagine anything”"
Sule is expected to attract a lot of interest from top European clubs due to his age and quality. The German defender is entering the prime years of his career. Moreover, the current state of the transfer market further increases the weight of free transfer as pandemic has severely impacted the finances of all clubs. Sule could finally get a move to Premier League if his contract situation is not resolved.
Rekordmeister will have to look for his replacement if he decides to leave the club in the summer. The defending Bundesliga champions have been consistently linked with Chelsea center-back Antonio Rudiger. Similar to Sule, Rudiger might also become a free agent next summer.
In an ideal scenario, Bayern does eventually reach an agreement with Sule for a new deal. He has started the new season strongly under Julian Nagelsmann. The 26-year-old defender has a head coach in Bavaria that helped him at Hoffenheim at the start of his career. Working with Nagelsmann will benefit Sule and Die Roten, so a new deal is beneficial for all parties.
The next couple of months are going to be crucial for Sule’s future at the club. If Die Roten fails to reach an agreement before January, then it can be assumed that Sule will be leaving next summer. By confirming his wish to assess all options, Sule has put the ball firmly in Rekordmeister’s court.