Yann Sommer has release clause in Bayern Munich contract that depends on Manuel Neuer

It’s still unclear at this juncture; will Yann Sommer stay a Bayern Munich player beyond this summer, or will he wind up being sold or loaned out somewhere before the transfer window ends?

There are clubs interested in signing him, knowing that he might not want to spend the season serving as Manuel Neuer’s backup. Thomas Tuchel has made it clear that he is planning for Neuer to serve as the number one keeper at Bayern once he’s back fully fit and he’s on schedule for that to be the case come the start of preseason later this month.

Bayern signed Sommer from Borussia Monchengladbach during the winter transfer window for a fee of €9 million as they needed to find an ample replacement for Neuer after he injured his leg on a skiing trip after the World Cup in Qatar with Germany. The Swiss international had initially been accepting of the fact that he would more than likely have to fight with Neuer for the starting spot again once he was fully fit, but he’s now left the door open to a potential move away from Bayern this summer.

Per information from Sport Bild’s Christian Falk and Tobi Altschaffl (via @iMiaSanMia), Sommer has a release clause in his current Bayern contract that is actually contingent upon Neuer’s status. The clause stipulates that if Neuer is, in fact, the number one keeper for Bayern, Sommer would be allowed to leave the club if the buying party meets the release clause fee of €9-10m, which is right around what Bayern paid for him in the winter on a two-year deal from Die Fohlen.

Inter Milan, VfB Stuttgart, and Manchester United have all expressed interest at one point or another in signing Sommer this summer, but nothing advanced has taken place yet.

Photo by S. Mellar/FC Bayern via Getty Images

Alexander Nubel had also expressed his desire to leave Bayern this summer, which would mean Bayern would only be left with Sven Ulreich if both Sommer and Nubel wind up leaving. For that reason, Bayern Munich will not want to accept anything less than the release clause for Sommer and might also be keeping their eyes open in the transfer market if they feel the need to go in for another backup keeper.

Kasper Schmeichel had been Bayern Munich’s “Plan b” in the winter if the Sommer deal had fallen through, but he currently has a contract at OGC Nice that runs through June 2025.

Looking for more insight on the recent transfer coming and goings? Check out our Weekend Warm-up Podcast on Spotify or below for our thoughts on the rumors linking Bayern Munich to Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane, Juventus’ Federico Chiesa, and a whole lot more: