It is a very sad day for the club indeed…
As we found out in Friday’s report from Sport Bild, Thomas Müller will leave Bayern Munich at the end of the 2024/25 season.
Following that initial report, though, kicker journalist Franck Linkesh (via @iMiaSanMia) has released a piece that says Müller will not receive a new contract from the club, despite wanting to stay another season, which does add a twist to this story:
Thomas Müller will leave FC Bayern at the end of the season after 17 years at the club. The 35-year old will not receive a new contract.
Müller would’ve liked to stay another season, but was informed by the club’s decision during a meeting around two weeks ago. For FC Bayern, it’s now all about giving Müller a worthy farewell. Sources close to the club say Müller’s contract guarantees him a testimonial match.
It remains to be seen whether and where Müller might continue his career. The MLS, for example, would be appealing to him. FC Bayern, meanwhile, are determined to integrate Müller into another role after his retirement; they see him as the ideal representative of the club. All doors are open to him at Säbener Straße.
Müller is one of the highest earners on the Bayern payroll, and even a pay cut would most likely result in a paycheck higher than most found in the Bundesliga. Borussia Dortmund’s top earner (none other than ex-Bayern defender Niklas Süle), for instance, earns about 11 million euros a year, which pales in comparison to what Müller earns. Müller’s departure, coupled with the money Bayern will earn from the Club World Cup, will allow Bayern to prevent a balance sheet loss for the 2024/25 year.
However, Müller’s time being up as a player is by no means an end to his Bayern career. On the contrary, the club is actively trying to recruit him into the club in any other role possible. According to kicker, all doors are open for Bayern’s record player, and rightfully so.
That being said, it remains to be seen if Müller will immediately join Bayern in another role, or if he will continue his career elsewhere first. Bild’s initial report ruled out moves within the Bundesliga or to Saudi Arabia. A move to Major League Soccer, though, has been a consistent rumor for the past few months.
In response to kicker’s report, Bayern Munich board member for sport Max Eberl offered a terse statement to Bild (via @iMiaSanMia).
“As we’ve said several times, we are in talks with Thomas Müller, as well as with other players. As in recent weeks and months, we will only announce something when there’s something to announce,” Eberl said.
BFW Analysis
This writer personally would like Müller to retire as a one-club legend, but would not be upset to see him take up Captain America’s shield. After all, some of Bayern’s greatest ever legends — Franz Beckenbauer, Bastian Schweinsteiger, and Gerd Müller — have had stints in the USA at the end of their careers. Müller’s legacy will not be tarnished by spending two or three years in the land of the free.
Speaking of Bastian Schweinsteiger, it appears that Müller has a contractually agreed testimonial match waiting in the wings, like the one he had between Bayern and Chicago Fire in 2018.
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