If you want a story that has a lot of angles, but no real pathway forward to a conclusion just yet, you can just follow the odyssey of news surrounding Bayern Munich legend Thomas Müller over the past two days.
On Tuesday, we started to see news break that the 33-year-old was unhappy and could be looking to move on from the club. We later saw CEO Oliver Kahn say that the fallen star would not ask to leave the club. Finally, we saw the Raumdeuter portrayed as a “coach killer” by Mario Basler.
Just about the only thing we did not see is confirmation that Müller is the infamous Bild mole. (BFW Editor’s Note: He totally is)
However, Sport1 journalist Kerry Hau says that the talk of Müller wanting to leave is not necessarily false, it just has not happened yet:
Thomas Müller has not yet complained to the people in charge or Tuchel. No talks about the player’s future will take place until June at the earliest. Bayern’s plan remains unchanged — they want to keep Müller until his contract expires next year.
Hau goes on to say that the club still values the veteran, despite Thomas Tuchel’s apparent turning of the page on Müller’s days as a starter at the club:
Bayern are fully aware of how valuable Müller can still be as a player and as a person for the team. The people in charge are aware of Müller’s standing at the club & among the fans. At the same time, however, they also feel obliged to think about the future and promote young players, especially Musiala. Müller is not bothered by that and gets along well with Musiala.
Hau also dropped a nugget on how the club might want to use Müller moving forward. The plan could include a one-year contract extension that would carry Müller through the 2024/25 season — and allow him to mentor rumored Bayern Munich transfer target Florian Wirtz:
Even another one-year extension, should Müller perform, is not ruled out — even though Bayern are considering signing Florian Wirtz in 2024.
Recent reports have emerged that Bayern Munich is positioning itself for a run at the Bayer Leverkusen star. Could this all be lining up as Hau plotted it out…or will Müller push to leave the club so he can find a destination that will offer him more playing time?
For what it is worth, Müller vaguely addressed the reports via his Instagram (in true Müller fashion):
If you could read a newspaper King D’avie… #Nowitsgettingwild #Fullfocusonthetitle #OnlyFCB
(BFW Editor’s Note: King D’avie is the name of the horse)
Stay tuned…