A strong hint has emerged that Bayern Munich of Germany left-back, David Olatokunbo Alaba, who scored on own goal in his side’s stunning 8-2 thrashing of Barcelona of Spain during Friday’s UEFA Champions League quarter-final clash, may end up staying put this summer.
Megasportsarena.com gatherd that, despite several hints that Alaba could be moving on eventually, The Bavarians’ CEO, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge says the club’s top brass are working on the possibility of keeping the Nigerian-born defender with the German Bundesliga club into next season.
This is in contrast with repeated reports linking Alaba with both Chelsea and Manchester City of England as well as Real Madrid and Barcelona, who they massacred on Friday, as Rummenigge strongly suggested that the dark-skinned sensation could stay at Allianz Arena into next season.
With just a year remaining on his contract, there have been suggestions that the Nigerian-born Austria international and captain could take a leave from Bayern in search of a new challenge elsewhere this summer; but Rummenigge is now talking in a different light about the dark-skinned left-back, who has been in Munich since 2011.
The highly-respected football buff and first man to win the FIFA World Cup as player and coach, further hinted that the versatile defender, who has a Nigerian father and Philippines mother, is open to extending his stay at the Bundesliga champions.
Additional reports at the start of this week indicated that Alaba may now delay any decision over his future until the end of Bayern’s UEFA Champions League campaign, which continues against Barcelona on Friday night; but that has not erased the facts of his recent struggles to maintain his place in the Munich-based team, when he has now often been played as a stopper.
Before this year, Alaba had been a mainstay in the German champions’ squads for several seasons, but he has been hit with dwindling fortunes in recent time and, now that he has less than a year left on his deal, transfer speculation round him has become inevitable.
Speculation continues mounting about his future, as his contract negotiations with Bayern have not gone smoothly, yet the club would loathe to lose him for a cheap fee this summer or for free next term, but Rummenigge is optimistic that they will soon find a positive end about Alaba’s next line of action and status heading into next season.
This also comes at point additional reports indicate that the club are unwilling to meet Alaba’s demand of €20m annual salary; though Bayern coach, Hansi Flick expressed hope that the star will finish his career in Munich, which would be a blow to Man City’s coach, Pep Guardiola, who has been linked with a move for his former prized player in recent months.
City are looking to rebuild their defence after their disappointing domestic season and Pep, who handled Bayern before moving to Etihad Stadium, knows how handy he can find Alaba’s quality, exposure, experience and versatility as prized assets in the English Premier League.
Nonetheless, the left-back is expected to re-enter negotiations with The Bavarians once their European campaign is over, and Rummenigge believes an agreement will be reached, ahead of which the CEO enthused: “With Alaba, I am cautiously optimistic we will find a solution.”
