Hasan Salihamidzic says “the talks are not easy” for Niklas Sule’s Bayern Munich contract

Niklas Sule’s future at Bayern Munich still hangs in the balance. His absence from the squad in Bayern’s 2-1 defeat at FC Augsburg on Friday was clearly felt as he’s been one of Julian Nagelsmann’s most consistent performers this season in defense. His current contract at Bayern expires next summer and Bayern desperately need to decide on just what, exactly, they’re going to do with the the towering defender. There’s a general consensus amongst Bayern fans that, with how well he’s been performing, he 100% deserves a new contract at Bayern and it would be a huge loss to potentially have him walk on a free transfer.

Prior to kickoff in Augsburg on Friday, sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic provided a brief update on Sule’s contract situation. “He has an expiring contract, you know that too. The talks are not easy. If there’s anything to be said about it, we’ll say that,” Brazzo explained to DAZN (az).

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In recent weeks, Sule has been linked with a potential move to Newcastle United in the Premier League as the club now has a plethora of cash to spend after the recent Saudi Arabian takeover. Back in the fall and summer, it was rumored that Thomas Tuchel was interested in potentially bringing Sule to Chelsea and it had even been rumored that they could be using Antonio Rudiger to help broker a swap deal. Rudiger also has an upcoming expiring contract, but with the form both he and Sule are in for Chelsea and Bayern, respectively, neither club would realistically want to get rid of their player, and for good reason.

It’s especially impressive that Sule has deputized so well at right back just as well as center back. Josip Stanisic had stood firm on the right side in the beginning of the season when Benjamin Pavard was coming back from an ankle injury, but Sule was exceptional at right back during Pavard’s Bundesliga suspension from the red card he got against SpVgg Greuther Fürth at the end of September. Nagelsmann has been known to toy between a back four and a back three, and against Augsburg, switching to three center backs without the presence of Sule seemed to cause more harm than good. It’s paramount for Bayern that they try and get a new deal over the line for Sule.