Cologne forward Anthony Modeste shoots but fails to score against Bayern Munich defender Niklas Suele and goalkeeper Manuel Neuer during the German first division Bundesliga football match in Cologne, western Germany, January 15, 2022. — AFP pic
BERLIN, Jan 25 — Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich are set to lose Niklas Suele at the end of the season, with the Germany defender reportedly having turned down a contract extension.
The towering 26-year-old’s deal ends in June and several German media outlets claim he has already told Bayern he does not want to stay.
Suele is said to be mulling offers from Chelsea, Newcastle United and Barcelona.
Suele would be the third defender to leave Bayern in the last 12 months, after David Alaba’s transfer to Real Madrid and Jerome Boateng’s switch to Lyon.
Club president Herbert Hainer last weekend said the club had “made an offer to Niklas” to renew his contract. “Now it’s up to him to accept or not to accept that,” he said.
Suele has made 158 appearances for Bayern since they signed him from Hoffenheim in 2017 for €20 million (RM94 million) and he is set to be a key player for Germany at the World Cup in Qatar, which kicks off in November.
He was part of the squad which won the Champions League in 2019/20, but missed the first six months of that season after suffering a torn cruciate ligament knee injury for the second time in his career. — AFP