'Agreement close' - Dominant defender 'offered' to Liverpool in 'good talks' as Champions League club close in
One defender linked with Liverpool now looks set to stay at his current club with talks over a new contract progressing
Dayot Upamecano is ‘very, very close’ to agreeing a new contract with Bayern Munich, with a free transfer to Liverpool this summer looking increasingly unlikely.
The Frenchman is one of several top centre-backs across Europe who are in the final months of their respective deals.
Ibrahima Konate is set to leave Liverpool this summer as his contract runs out while Marc Guehi of Crystal Palace is being eyed the Reds along with a number of top clubs as his deal at Selhurst Park ticks down.
Just a couple of weeks ago, German outlet TZ reported that Upamecano had been ‘offered’ to Liverpool by the player’s representatives. Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain have also been linked with the defender.
Upamecano is free to speak to clubs outside of Germany about a pre-contract agreement. Liverpool need to think long-term about their centre-back position amid uncertainty over Konate’s future while Virgil van Dijk is out of contract in 2027.
One of the sticking points over Upamecano agreeing a new deal was the desire from the player to have a £57m release clause. He is also asking for around £300,000-per-week to remain with the Bundesliga champions.
However, Bayern sporting director Christoph Freund has spoken out on the player’s future and it appears the German outfit are going to get their man with a new agreement close.
He said, via FC Bayern Inside: “Upa has presented himself at a world-class level over the last year and a half since Vincent Kompany arrived. It would be a very important extension for us. We are in good talks.
“He’s 27, next year he’ll be 28 – that’s the best age for soccer. Accordingly, this will be a very important contract for him for the next three or four years.
“There’s no final decision yet, but we’re already very, very close.“
Upamecano is a player loved by international teammate Kylian Mbappe, who said of him earlier in the campaign: “He’s in fantastic form, full of confidence and composure. He’s a dominant defender, capable of winning duels, playing out from the back, and adapting to any style. For me, he’s in the conversation among the best.”