It is finally official. Alphonso Davies has committed his long-term future to Bayern Munich. On Tuesday, one day after the transfer window shut, the 24-year-old Canadian men’s national team player signed a contract that will keep him at the club until 2030.
Bayern Munich initially signed Davies in a deal worth $20 million with add-ons from the Vancouver Whitecaps in 2018. Since then he has scored 12 goals and 34 assists in 220 games across all competitions for the Bavarian giants.
Although a deal was reported to be close two weeks ago, today’s announcement puts to rest speculations that Davies could be off to another club. After all, Davies’ contract at Bayern was set to expire this summer, and there was reported interest by Real Madrid.
There is no doubt that when a player like Davies hits the market, several clubs will be interested. Real Madrid, in particular, has built a reputation of signing top stars on free transfers. But reading between the lines, it was always Davies’ priority to remain in Munich.
“I am very happy to have extended my contract at this great club,” Davies said in a club statement. “I came to FC Bayern when I was 18 and just wanted to learn as much as possible every day to become one of the best in my position. Now, I’m looking forward to another five years together. I’ve already achieved a lot here, but there’s more to come.”
In some ways, the drama could have been concluded last summer. The club and the player camp were close to agreeing a deal then. But the package hammered out between director of sport Max Eberl and Davies’ agency ATG Sports Management was reportedly shut down by Bayern’s supervisory board.
At the time, the supervisory board felt that the entire package, north of €100 million ($103 million), was too much for a player who hadn’t been at his best since the 2020 season. As a result, contract talks were put on hold, with the goal of restarting them in January.
Then, under new head coach Vincent Kompany, Davies regained his form and played some of the best soccer in his career. The Canadian managed one goal and three assists in 25 games, which is one of the main reasons for Bayern’s strong defensive performances this year.
“Alphonso Davies has become one of the best players in the world in his position at Bayern and has attracted a lot of interest,” sporting director Christoph Freund said in a club statement. “The fact he wants to continue here with us shows Bayern’s status in international football and that Alphonso has found his sporting home in Munich.”
With Davies back on the ascendancy, Bayern was eager to renew the deal. After some back-and-forth negotiations, they agreed to a deal worth €120 million ($124.5 million) in its entirety. According to a report by Bild, Davies will earn €15 million ($15.5 million) gross per season plus €5 million ($5.2 million) in bonuses. The player will also receive €20 million ($20.7 million).
Although the supervisory board tasked director of sport Max Eberl with reducing wages ahead of the season, that deal was ultimately approved. The feeling was that this deal was still cheaper than signing a replacement for Davies.
“We’re delighted that we’re going into the future with Alphonso Davies,” Eberl said. “Phonzy has been playing for Bayern since he was 18 and quickly embraced the club. We see him as one of the figures in the new generation of our team who are increasingly taking on responsibility. He’s grown up here and will continue to grow with the team.”
The Davies deal is undoubtedly a signal of strength from Bayern. They have now kept one of their key players, fighting off interest from international competition. The contract might also trigger a domino effect. Bayern is still in talks with Jamal Musiala and Joshua Kimmich, and with Davies done, the two could soon follow.
Read the full article here