Bayern Munich have responded strongly after Jamal Musiala was criticized by former Germany player Didi Hamann.
Jamal Musiala enjoyed an excellent international break for Germany, as he registered a hat-trick of assists and also scored a goal against Hungary. But that did not stop Didi Hamann from criticizing the Bayern Munich star. The former Liverpool player claimed that Musiala is a "solo entertainer," and he would swap him with Florian Wirtz if he was in charge at Bayern.
"I find it a bit absurd" - Bayern Munich boss on Jamal Musiala criticism
It did not take long for Bayern to respond to Hamann's comments, with sporting director Christoph Freund hailing the 21 year old as a world-class player. "Why is he being criticized? I find it a bit absurd and far-fetched to think that someone has such an opinion," Freund said during Friday's press conference.
"We at FC Bayern are extremely happy to have such a player with us. Jamal Musiala is a world-class player, an exceptional player. Jamal is a player that spectators go to the stadium for because of the way he plays. He can decide games, he's an absolute team player. He is an exceptional player. He can become one of the best players in the world. Both FC Bayern and Germany are lucky to have him."
Musiala's future was also the subject of plenty of speculation over the international break, with the likes of Real Madrid, Manchester City, FC Barcelona, among the several big clubs circling. Bayern are determined to extend the attacking midfielder's contract (which expires in 2026), and Freund reiterated the club's intentions during the press conference.
"We want to extend the contract and for him to play at Bayern for as long as possible. Of course there are talks and our aim is for him to stay at Bayern in the long-term and help shape an era," Freund said.
Bayern Munich signed Jamal Musiala from Chelsea in 2019, and he has since established himself as a key player for both club and country. It will be interesting to see what the future holds for Musiala, but everyone at Bayern will no doubt hope that he stays at the club for years to come.