Dayot Upamecano agrees summer transfer to Bayern Munich
By Tom Gott
RB Leipzig centre-back Dayot Upamecano has agreed to join German giants Bayern Munich once the summer transfer window opens.
The 22-year-old has been linked with a move away from Leipzig for what feels like an eternity, with his release clause of around £38m seen as too much of a bargain for most of Europe's giants to pass up on.
Upamecano's final shortlist came down to Bayern, Chelsea and Liverpool, and RMC Sport were first to report that he had chosen to remain in Germany and seal a move to Hansi Flick's reigning champions.
Bayern have agreed to pay his release clause, and sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic has subsequently confirmed to German news outlet Bild that personal terms have also been successfully negotiated with Upamecano - adding that the club are 'very happy' to have concluded things quickly.
The deal has been not been officially rubber stamped, but apart from the i's being fully dotted and the t's being crossed, Upamecano's desire to join Bayern has come to fruition - ending a very public pursuit from the Bundesliga giants, who had all but confirmed their intent to sign the Frenchman in the summer.
Striking a deal for Upamecano this early in the year suggests that Bayern are certain that they are set to lose at least one of David Alaba and Jerome Boateng, both of whom are out of contract at the end of the season.
Alaba has been heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid, while Boateng has been suggested as a potential signing for Thomas Tuchel's Chelsea, who appear to have missed out on Upamecano's signature themselves.
While Chelsea and Liverpool will likely be frustrated to miss out on Upamecano, the fact that Bayern have got a deal done so early means the two English sides have plenty of time to find other targets.
For Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool, they will have option to make Ozan Kabak's loan move permanent, while recent rumours have seen them linked with Upamecano's centre-back partner at Leipzig, Ibrahima Konate.
As for Chelsea, links to Alaba have been strong, as has interest in Atletico Madrid's Jose Gimenez, who was seen as too expensive for the Blues last summer.