Soccer
Three-way tussle! Where will Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies end up next season?
Alphonso Davies’ choice seems to be between staying at Bayern or moving to one of LaLiga’s two biggest clubs.
Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies now appears closer to renewing his contract with the Bundesliga giants, but the Canadian remains a major target for Real Madrid - and is also being linked with a move to Barcelona.
Davies is out of contract at Bayern next summer, and the 33-time German champions’ attempts to tie the 24-year-old down to a new deal have so far proved fruitless. From January 1, the left-back would be free to negotiate an end-of-season free transfer to another club, with LaLiga shaping up as his likeliest destination if he leaves Bavaria.
Bayern, Barça or Madrid? The choice for Davies
Reports in Germany claim Bayern are now better-placed to finally agree an extension with Davies, but the Catalonia-based newspaper Sport says Barça have reactivated their interest in the defender. The German media outlet Sport1 adds that Davies has reduced his salary demands - a state of affairs that not only appears to have brought him closer to an agreement with Bayern, but could also place him back within financial reach of cash-strapped Barça.
How much money does Davies want?
It is not known how great a pay packet Davies is now seeking. What seems clear is that no club is prepared to pay the €15 million ($15.7 million) signing fee and €10 million ($10.5 million) after-tax salary that Davies was initially looking for.
As things stand, Barça have taken their interest in Davies no further than sounding out the player’s camp over a potential free transfer in summer 2025. Meanwhile, Bayern are attempting to bring an end to his contract saga before the mid-season winter break, at the same time as Madrid maintain their long-standing bid to lure the player to Spain as a free agent next year.
It’s expected that Davies, who has also attracted interest elsewhere during his protracted contract standoff - notably from Premier League club Manchester United - will make a decision in the near future.
Signed from MLS club Vancouver Whitecaps in 2018, Davies has made 214 appearances in all competitions for Bayern, scoring 11 goals and providing 34 assists. A five-time Bundesliga champion, and a Champions League winner in 2020, the left-back has also won 56 caps for Canada.
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