Bayern Munich eyes Dayot Upamencano in the summer of 2021

As if Bayern Munich is not on enough of a roll, the Bavarians are being seriously linked to one of the breakout stars of the Champions League quarterfinal round, RB Leipzig’s Dayot Upamecano, per Sky’s Kaveh Solhekol.

Sure, most Bundesliga fans already know that the 21-year-old Frenchman is a terrific talent, but Upamecano’s superb showing against Atletico Madrid has opened up the eyes of many more pundits and supporters.

According to Solhekol, Upamecano’s recent contract extension with RB Leizpig will not preclude him from making the jump to the Rekordmeister next summer:

Arsenal are one of many clubs who have been watching him but he has now signed a contract extension at Leipzig until 2023, although that is unlikely to get in the way of a move to Bayern Munich next summer.

One caveat to Bayern Munich’s transfer activity could be how clubs manage finances through next season as, it remains to be seen if there will be any revenue generated from ticket sales and other in-stadium cash streams.

BFW Analysis

While Upamecano is assuredly one of the Bundesliga’s brightest young defenders, the Bayern Munich backline is already a bit crowded and there would need to be some space cleared for a move to take place.

Despite a roller coaster ride of news reports, David Alaba’s contract extension talks could be finalized after the Champions League season commences, while Niklas Süle is still just 24 and under contract through the 2022 season. Jerome Boateng, meanwhile, has probably earned himself a chance at remaining part of the mix at the Sabener Strasse after being one of the favorites to bed sold. Boateng’s contract runs through 2021 season, so this summer has become a “do or die” moment in terms of Bayern Munich’s squad planning if it wants to receive any financial compensation for the player. Clearly, the 31-year-old could be one of the chips to fall heading into next summer.

That trio above does not even include Bayern Munich’s record transfer, Lucas Hernandez. Hernandez had an underwhelming debut season in Bavaria as he struggled with numerous injuries and inconsistent on-field showings. In all, Hernandez missed 19 games due to injuries and 118 days of field time per Transfermarkt. Hernandez’s contract runs through the 2024 season.

While not direct competitors to Upamencano as a center-back, Bayern Munich’s outside-backs are still a factor in the back-four mix. Alphonso Davies is looking more and more like a generational talent, while Benjamin Pavard has had an extremely good season — while also possessing the flexibility to slide into center-back.

In addition, Bayern Munich still holds the rights to both Chris Richards and Lars Lukas Mai (on loan with SV Darmstadt). At 20, Richards is considered a strong prospect and had very solid season for Bayern Munich II, while Mai has long been considered one of the “next generation” of future back-line players for the Bavarians. Even more, 17-year-old center-back Bright Arrey-Mbi and versatile 18-year-old Tanguy Nianzou appear to be youngsters that will weigh heavily into future considerations for Bayern Munich.

In conjunction with his loan move, Mai (20) extended his contract with Bayern Munich through the 2023 season, while Richards is also under contract with the Bavarians through 2023. Mbi’s deal runs through 2022 and Nianzou’s is under contract through 2024.

While the thought of Upamecano is appealing, there will certainly be discussion revolving around just necessary a move for him might be given the current roster composition. That said, Hernandez has not exactly lit up the world with his performances and health, Boateng is coasting nicely into the twilight of his career, and it remains to be seen if Süle’s knee injury holds any long-term effect on his game.

Surely, interesting times are ahead.