Manuel Neuer has eased Bayern Munich fans’ concerns about his future by admitting that he is more than optimistic about the current direction of negotiations.
The goalkeeper is one of several stars out of contract in 2023, alongside Serge Gnabry and Robert Lewandowski, and talks over an extension have been ongoing for a while now, prompting fears that there may be an issue.
Bayern haven’t always had an easy time of convincing their top talents to sign new deals. They lost David Alaba last summer and will also part ways with Niklas Sule this year, while Lewandowski has been left unimpressed with Bayern’s offer to him thus far.
Fortunately, it seems as though Neuer’s situation is not one to worry about as the club captain told DAZN that things are progressing well.
“The talks are going very well. We have all the time in the world,” he stressed.
When asked if things were looking good, he simply responded: “Definitely.”
That sort of confidence was not shared by manager Julian Nagelsmann when asked about the future of Gnabry, whose lengthy negotiations are yet to lead anywhere.
“I have known Serge for ages and have a good relationship with him,” the boss said. “He’s been very hard-working in the past few weeks and has been one of the most striking players.
“Of course, I would like to keep him, but it’s not always easy, many parties play a role.”
Similarly, Naglesmann suggested that midfielder Corentin Tolisso, whose deal expires this summer, could be allowed to walk away.
“I appreciate Coco [Tolisso] very much, he has an incredible winning mentality and brings a good spirit to training. The injuries are of course bitter,” Nagelsmann said. “It’s a question of whether it makes sense to stay when you see how often he’s injured. We’ll see what the future brings.”
