Going into the winter transfer window, Bayern Munich hierarchies [Max Eberl and Christoph Freund] have made it clear that Bayern Munich’s focus will be on getting contract extensions sorted rather than bringing in new signings.
Now, with a handful of key players in the squad that are up for contract renewals, there are a lot of negotiations that need to take place to secure the likes of Jamal Musiala, Joshua Kimmich, and Alphonso Davies for long-term futures with the club.
Not to mention, the club is also in a crucial period for deciding what they would like to do with winger Leroy Sané.
In the goalkeeping department, there are high expectations that Bayern will give Manuel Neuer a one-year contract extension at some point in 2025.
Further reports reveal it is also now expected that Bayern will also be offering Sven Ulreich a new contract, presumably for one more year since he is 36 years of age, an extension that will take his contract from June 2025 to June 2026.
For Bayern, a one-year extension for Ulreich is low risk and low cost, so it makes sense to offer him a new deal.
He only earns roughly €2m per year, so he does not really affect the club’s overall wage bill, which could certainly be affected by the contracts offered to Musiala, Kimmich, and Davies — assuming they all agree to stay at the club with new contracts.
Ulreich was out for several weeks earlier this season for undisclosed personal reasons, but on the whole, he is still regarded highly at the club and there is a lot of respect for the loyalty he has shown to Bayern ever since joining from VfB Stuttgart back in 2015. He also returned to Bavaria in 2021 after a stint with Hamburg SV.
It is expected that Ulreich will serve as the number three keeper behind Neuer and someone the club plans on bringing in to serve as Neuer’s direct backup.
Although, Daniel Peretz has stood firm when Neuer has not been available in different periods this season, it is planned that the Israeli keeper will be loaned out somewhere.
As far as direct backups are concerned, Bayern have identified FC Köln’s Jonas Urbig as a top prospect. They have previously shown some interest in former Newcastle United, Union Berlin, Liverpool and Mainz keeper Loris Karius, who is currently a free agent.
It is clear to see the priorities placed by Bayern as they focus on renewals before any incomings for the team which would help improve the squad as well.
