Dayot Upamecano is highly sought after. FC Bayern has him on their radar, but does he ever leave Leipzig? His advisor and a confidant are sowing doubt.
Dayot Upamecano is currently a hot topic on the transfer market. The 21-year-old central defender of RB Leipzig has long been in the notebooks of many sports directors. Also in that of Bayern Munich’s Hasan Salihamidzic.
“Upa has everything a top central defender needs in terms of prerequisites. That’s naturally exciting,” says Johannes Jahns, transfer expert at Red Bull Salzburg, in conversation.
The 38-year-old is Head of Transfer Management, responsible for the entire transfer process – and in 2015 he also attracted the then 16-year-old Upamecano from FC Valenciennes to Salzburg.
“I always had an intensive relationship with Upa. We already had a structure at the club back then, where we made sure that we integrated the players as best as possible, and family also played a big role. The whole framework has to fit,” Jahns stresses.
That’s why Upamecano’s parents and siblings came with him to Salzburg even after the move from France. “That played a big role for him,” says Jahns.
Upamecano’s future remains open
A lot has happened since then: In January 2017 Upamecano moved to RB Leipzig for around ten million euros, where he has a fixed exit clause of 60 million euros, which is to increase even further if he moves abroad.
Whether FC Bayern or another top club is also prepared to put so much money on the table this summer in view of the corona crisis? But perhaps this question does not even arise.
RB does not want to let any of its top performers go free
“It is clear that we will not let any of our top performers move without being replaced”, emphasised RB sports director Markus Krösche on Tuesday. This would mean in the case of Upamecano: Either he will be extended at RB or he will be handed in in summer.
His long-time confidant advises Upamecano to be cautious.
“He currently has extremely good conditions for further development. He plays at a very high level in Leipzig and I don’t really see any urgency for a change. He can still take the next step in a few years’ time,” says Johannes Jahns, who can understand the Leipzigers’ point of view. “Of course, no club in the world would want to let such a player go free of charge when his contract expires, that would of course be unfavourable and accordingly it is a quite logical answer from RB.
When it comes to FC Bayern, Jahns has a clear opinion: For him this step would come too early. “Yes, but that’s Upa’s decision. He’s in good hands where he’s playing now. And his development is far from over. He can still develop wonderfully in Leipzig. So if I were him, I wouldn’t be in any hurry.