The Upamecano case has been bothering FC Bayern for almost a year. The deadline for a contract extension is right, but it is late. A comment.
Sometimes a few small words can reveal something profound. A similar moment happened on Tuesday in Eindhoven. When Vincent Kompany was asked about squad planning, he referred to “those up there”. Lots of laughs, because of course everyone knew exactly who was meant. CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen, but above all Mr. Uli Hoeneß and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge – who publicly stated several times in the summer what they expect from sports director Max Eberl.
To keep things short: Extensions that extend into the last year of the contract, such as chewing gum, ludicrous salaries, generous bonuses and exit clauses, are not included. And so no one can like what has been happening in the Dayot Upamecano case for almost a (!) year. What happened in February 2025 with the headline “Will Upamecano extend before Kimmich?” began, a deadline of mid-February 2026 has been assigned in the final act that is now underway.
Bayern star Upamecano got the most out of it with patience
After a final offer, for which those responsible stretched themselves so far that it could still fall well on their feet in the future. It’s no secret that even in the greatest Mia-san-mia community, everyone looks out for each other. Why is that? Jamal Musiala Top earner? Why does Alphonso Davies get so much hand money? Why does Harry Kane have a release clause?
Upamecano asked all these questions – and got the most out of it with patience and poker skills. With respect: a fixed salary of 16 million euros plus bonuses, a bonus of around 20 million and a comparatively low exit clause of 65 million in 2027 are a lot of benefits for a man who is undisputed as a defense boss, but who only found consistency under Kompany.
But if Upamecano signs (which we can assume), they will be the benchmark from now on. What you have to admit to Eberl: In this case he started early – you can see him as a “legacy”. Nevertheless, from now on the motto should be to act instead of react. Because “those up there” are still watching closely.
