Herbert Hainer still hopeful Bayern Munich can reach new deal with Serge Gnabry

So much of the transfer talk at Bayern Munich in recent weeks has revolved around Robert Lewandowski, who his potential replacement(s) might be, and the imminent arrivals of both Ryan Gravenberch and Noussair Mazraoui from AFC Ajax. However, there are still other players in Bayern’s squad that are in a crucial window of figuring out what their future(s) might hold, whether it’s at the club, or elsewhere.

Serge Gnabry’s current contract at Bayern runs through until June 2023, but the player himself, his representatives and Bayern’s front office are still far apart on an agreement for a contract extension. Some of the decision-making does depend on who, exactly, will be brought in to replace Lewandowski if he leaves either this summer or next, and if that will be just one or two players. It’s also been reported that he’s asking for more than Bayern is willing to pay him, which is adding a degree of difficulty to said negotiations.

In a recent interview with Suddeutsche Zeitung (as transcribed by @iMiaSanMia on Twitter), club president Herbert Hainer provided an update on Gnabry’s situation, saying that it is still the club’s aim to get him to realize what he has at Bayern. “Our management is in talks with Serge. Our expectations are still a bit far apart. So far we haven’t reached an agreement, that’s no secret. We know what we have in Serge, and I think he also knows what he has here,” Hainer said.

The group of Niklas Sule, Joshua Kimmich, Leon Goretzka, Leroy Sane and Gnabry has been previously dubbed the “95-ers” of FC Bayern and it’s been the club’s aim to keep that core of players together long-term. Obviously, Sule is breaking that mold by joining Borussia Dortmund this summer on a free transfer, but the goal is still intact for the rest of that group. It’s a generational group that illustrates the core of FC Bayern Munich moving forward as the club starts to lose its veterans.

Photo by CHRISTOF STACHE/AFP via Getty Images

Speaking on the generational connection Gnabry has to those other three players in Bayern’s squad, Hainer feels that might be something that will help persuade Gnabry to eventually agree on a contract extension. “Serge belongs to the generation Kimmich/Goretzka/Sané who have known each other for a long time. I’m confident and I hope Serge will extend his contract,” he explained.