Report: Bayern Munich threatens to send Serge Gnabry to the stands if he doesn’t extend or leave this summer

Well this was practically inevitable. According to a report by kicker, Bayern Munich are ready to send Serge Gnabry to the stands if he fails to either extend his contract or leave the club this summer. Gnabry, who already has an offer on the table from Bayern, has been stalling on his decision for the future for several months now. His current deal expires in the summer of 2023.

After what happened with Niklas Sule and David Alaba, it was inevitable that German champions would take this step with Gnabry. The 26-year-old is probably worth at least €45-50m on the market right now, and we have reports that Manchester United are among the clubs interested in his signature. If he refuses to extend, Bayern will need that money to strengthen the squad.

Per the report, the player himself is “not impressed” by the club’s negotiating position, and it’s easy to see why. If he gets benched for a whole season, his spot in Germany’s World Cup squad might be in jeopardy. Hansi Flick has already shown his preference for players like Jonas Hofmann and Jamal Musiala on the wings for the national team, so Gnabry has plenty to prove and he can’t do that while sitting in the stands.

How will this standoff end? Well, if the numbers are correct, Bayern are offering Gnabry a significant raise to extend his contract — possibly putting him in the same salary bracket as Leroy Sane and Kingsley Coman. Regular watchers of the club will know that the player himself has done little in the last two seasons to deserve such a huge bump in pay, but it at least shows that the bosses are willing to keep him on. Does Gnabry feel the same way?

Whatever happens, Gnabry cannot be allowed to leave for free next summer. After Sule and Alaba, Bayern cannot afford another high profile free transfer.