Dayot Upamecano is not close to signing a new contract with Bayern Munich, and the news should come as a big boost for Liverpool.
The Reds are one of the clubs showing keen interest in signing Upamecano, whose contract at the German club is set to expire at the end of the season.
Along with Liverpool, Premier League rivals Manchester United are also reportedly keen to sign the 26-year-old centre-back as a free agent next summer.
What’s the latest update on Dayot Upamecano
Liverpool will look to bolster their defence either in January or next summer following the ACL injury to Giovanni Leoni, who is set to miss the rest of the season.
Joe Gomez has struggled with injuries in recent years and has barely featured under Arne Slot. If Liverpool receive a decent offer for him, he could be allowed to move on.
And then, there remains the contract situation of Ibrahima Konate. Like Upamecano, he has a contract at Anfield until the end of the season, and while the Reds are hopeful that the Frenchman will sign a new deal, it has not happened yet.
We previously reported that Bayern have more or less agreed on Upamecano’s base salary, but that is not enough.
Upamecano has been outstanding for the German club over the years, and he is demanding a high signing-on fee, but Bayern, due to cost-cutting measures, is not ready to provide that.
Christian Falk has told CFBayern that the difference between what Bayern want to pay and what Upamecano wants is huge at the moment.
He said: “It is NOT TRUE: Dayot Upamecano made an important step forward in contract talks with Bayern Munich. We have to say these talks have been going on for over a year.
“There is a kind of agreement between Bayern and Upamecano about a base salary, as he’s going to be a free agent in the summer, but there is always a signing fee! And the signing fee is a problem in these talks.
“You have Alphonso Davies at Bayern Munich and he was in the same situation last year. The Canadian got a lot of money, we heard around €20m-22m [£17.4m-19.1m], just for the signing fee! Upamecano, of course, knows about this and has been asking, “What about my signing fee?”
“If he goes to another club like Liverpool, he will get a signing fee as a free agent. Real Madrid and PSG are also interested. So, this is really difficult for Bayern as the wage bill for the team is already quite high, and there’s a target in place to lower this by 20% for the whole team. This makes things really difficult.
“I heard the difference between what Bayern Munich want to pay and what Upamecano wants is still very, very big.”
Potential boost for Liverpool in Upemcano chase?
If Bayern fail to sign a new contract extension with Upamecano, it could open up a plethora of options for the French defender, and Liverpool could be one of them.
The Reds retain an interest in Marc Guehi after missing out on him during the summer, but they are likely to face severe competition from Bayern Munich if he stays on for the rest of the season and leaves for free next summer.
In such a scenario, Liverpool could make a serious approach for Upamecano, but any potential transfer would only take place next summer, not in the January window.
→ READ MORE: The Bayern Insider: Bayern fear multiple Premier League transfer threats
