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Bayern academy starlet Lars Lukas Mai has officially signed his first pro contract at Bayern, which will see him remain at the club until at least 2021. After rumors suggested Mai was considering a move away from Bayern to secure more first-team playing time elsewhere, it’s great to see that Bayern were able to convince him that staying at the club is the best move for his career. Hamburg and Wolfsburg were rumored destinations for him and his U-19 teammate Manuel Wintzheimer.
“I’m very happy about this big opportunity,” said Mai in Bayern’s official press release. “It has always been my dream to play for FC Bayern. Now I want to continue working hard in order to take the next steps in my career.”
The 18-year-old made his official first-team debut last week against Hannover, and has been included in this week’s squad that is set to take on Frankfurt and future head coach Niko Kovac at the Allianz Arena on Saturday. With the number of injuries Bayern have at the moment, it is likely that Mai once again will start in the central defense alongside either Mats Hummels or Niklas Süle. He’ll likely also be in the squad on Tuesday when Bayern take on Real Madrid at the Bernabeu in what is without a doubt the most important game of the season.
Since moving to Bayern in 2014, Mai, nicknamed “Lasse,” has rolled through the various youth teams, captaining the U-17’s to a Bundesliga title last year and leading the U-19’s to first place through 24 games this year. He has also been an important part of Germany’s national youth teams, recently debuting for Germany’s U-18 team after spending last year with the U-17’s with whom he played in a World Cup as well as a European Championship.