Max Eberl and Christoph Freund faced significant criticism last summer as Bayern Munich missed out on several transfer targets. They had to be content with a smaller squad instead of replacing every departing senior. Eberl and Freund had the last laugh as all the new players have made a positive impact this season.
Eberl has done a decent job since becoming the director of sport at Bayern two years ago. He had been linked with a role with Die Roten for several years, so there were high expectations after his eventual arrival.
The former Borussia Mönchengladbach sporting director has delivered in the transfer market with terrific signings, such as Michael Olise and Luis Díaz. Eberl also managed to secure long-term futures of Dayot Upamecano, Joshua Kimmich, Alphonso Davies, and Jamal Musiala.
Despite the positives of Eberl’s tenure, his future at Bayern is far from certain. The Bavarian club will make a decision on a contract extension for Eberl later this year. His current deal expires in 2027. For now, the club chiefs have handed Eberl a tough assignment to complete in the coming weeks.
According to SportBild (via iMiaSanMia), Bayern chiefs want Eberl to reduce the wage bill. After the four big contract extensions over the last 12 months, the wage bill has seen a significant increase.
Bayern have to make tough decisions in the summer
Bayern will see a couple of senior players leave on free transfers to lessen the burden on the wage bill. The Bavarian club potentially decided against offering Leon Goretzka a new deal to ensure they bring order to their wage bill.
Raphael Guerreiro will leave on a free transfer in the summer, while Sacha Boey is also expected to depart on a permanent deal. The French defender left Bayern to join Galatasaray on loan in the winter transfer window. His excellent form in Turkey will ensure Die Roten will get a decent fee.
The challenges for Eberl will arise when he is negotiating with Harry Kane over a new deal. The English forward is already one of the top earners in the squad. His prolific goal-scoring record over the last three years makes it crucial for Die Roten to extend his contract sooner rather than later.
The contract negotiations with Konrad Laimer have reached an impasse. The Austrian is content with life in Munich, but both parties are far away in the financial component of the new contract. It will be interesting to see how Eberl will handle this situation, considering he is tasked with reducing the wage bill.