Vincent Kompany missed his first chance to win a trophy with Bayern Munich. The record club for titles in Germany was eliminated from the German Cup on Tuesday by Bayer Leverkusen. To top it off, worrying news on the transfer front complicated the situation.
A promising start to the season
Despite this failure in the Cup, Bayern had a good first year under Kompany. The Bavarian giant dominates the Bundesliga with a four-point lead and displays impressive offensive power, with 37 goals scored in 12 days. In the Champions League, after missteps against Aston Villa and FC Barcelona, the Bavarians got back on track by winning the return matches at home.
High expectations for Kompany
Kompany still enjoys confidence, but expectations remain enormous for a club of this stature. Its squad is full of talent, reinforced by expensive summer recruits like Joao Palhinha, Michael Olise and Hiroki Ito. However, the challenge is to maintain this dynamic and meet European requirements.
Contract extensions pending
Bayern will also have to manage sensitive issues in the transfer market. Several team executives, including Joshua Kimmich, Leroy Sané and Manuel Neuer, are reaching the end of their contracts. Sports management will have to quickly find an agreement to secure these pillars of the workforce.
The uncertainty surrounding Alphonso Davies
A particularly worrying case is that of Alphonso Davies. Although essential under Kompany, the Canadian, also at the end of his contract, has still not reached an agreement with the club for an extension. The negotiations, which are dragging on, are becoming more and more uncertain.
A disgruntled agent
According to BILDDavies’ agent, Nick Househ, openly criticizes Bayern’s handling of this situation. He has even reportedly expressed interest in exploring other options, mentioning talks planned for January with Manchester United and Real Madrid. A strategy to put pressure on or a real risk of seeing one of the pillars of the club leave freely? Bayern will have to react quickly to avoid such a scenario.
