Chelsea, Barca or Madrid? Where Niklas Sule could end up next season
Stefan Bienkowski
- 7 Feb 2022 11:24 GMT
- 6 min read
Bayern Munich have undoubtedly resigned themselves to losing Niklas Sule at the end of the season.
Following their 3-2 victory over RB Leipzig, the Bayern captain Manuel Neuer struggled to hide his frustration over the matter.
"It's a shame when a player chooses a different path. But everyone lives their own career, so you accept their decision," said Neuer.
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"I won't lose him completely because he's a national player. As a goalkeeper you have a very special relationship with your defenders and you also work a lot together in training."
However, while Sule will remain a Bayern player for the remainder of the season, speculation has already gone into overdrive as to where the Germany international will end up next season.
Could he stay in the Bundesliga?
One thing that seems almost certain is that Sule probably won’t be joining another Bundesliga club next season.
Sources close to the player have told FootballTransfers that Sule’s current demands stand at an annual salary between €12-15 million.
Not only is that seemingly more than Bayern are willing to pay the player, but it also far exceeds what any of the Bavarian giant’s domestic rivals could offer to entice Sule to another German club.
Unless Sule drops his demands, a move to Dortmund or perhaps even RB Leipzig seems highly unlikely.
Where will he go?
As well as this new information on the player’s financial demands, we also have quotes from the player’s agent, Volker Struth, who went on German TV over the weekend to perhaps indicate where Sule could end up next.
Speaking to Sport1, Struth was asked if Sule had already decided where he would be playing his football next season. ”Yes, that’s for sure,” said the football agent.
He added: “We never negotiated (with Bayern). There was only a verbal approach. We met, spoke about it and I signalled at the time that the player was considering whether he wants to extend his contract. It wasn’t about the money at all.”
I think I would have a problem if we were to announce in a few days that the player would move to Newcastle and I’m sitting here explaining that the money isn’t the priority...
- Niklas Sule's agent Volker StruthAs well as Dortmund, Sule has also been linked with Chelsea, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Newcastle United, Yet Struth’s comments may all but rule out a potential move to the latter.
“I think I would have a problem if we were to announce in a few days that the player would move to Newcastle and I’m sitting here explaining that the money isn’t the priority,” said Struth.
As such, the player is unlikely to make a move based purely on financial reasons - even if his demands are quite high - and would seemingly prefer a move to another club that can offer him regular game time and the chance to win more silverware.
Which, unsurprisingly, perhaps puts Barcelona and Real Madrid at the front of the queue. With Chelsea potentially next in line, if they are forced to sign replacements to their own out-of-contract defenders in the summer.
