Arsenal, Man Utd or City? Upamecano's best option amid uncertain future

Tom Weber

• Updated: 22 Mar 2024 19:54 GMT
• 5 min read

Dayot Upamecano is a player who divides opinion.

The French centre-back is seemingly always one step away from disaster, yet when he is in form, he is a very good defender who can easily play at the highest level. The 25-year-old really is something of an enigma.

Indeed, not even Bayern Munich are really sure what to do with him. They don't necessarily want to sell him in the summer, but they will certainly entertain offers for him. After all, it is fair to say that Upamecano has, on the whole, disappointed since making a €42.5 million switch from RB Leipzig in 2021.

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Yet, there is a real player in there. The problem is, as former French national team boss Raymond Domenech correctly pointed out recently, that the centre-back is too inconsistent. "Upamecano is like the current German national team," he told tz.

"You never know what kind of performance you will get from him: sometimes he is good, sometimes he is not so good and sometimes he is bad. He has the 'illness' of the Germans. He had a good spell once, but he is not consistently good."

Upamecano to the Premier League?

According to Sky Germany, Upamecano is one of many Bayern players who could be sold in the summer if a suitable offer arrives. Unsurprisingly, then, the player is considering his future.

According to L'Equipe, Upamecano isn't desperate to leave Munich, but he won't turn down the chance to leave for greener pastures. The report mentions that the Frenchman is on the radar of English clubs because it is believed that his profile, despite his error-proneness, would suit the English game.

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The towering centre-back certainly has all the physical attributes to compete with the best of the best. However, the biggest worry is that nerves often get the better of him. If put under pressure, Upamecano will make mistakes, particularly in possession.

It is therefore doubtful whether one of England's elite sides would be interested in the 25-year-old. However, if we look beyond his obvious shortcomings, there is still the undeniable fact that Upamecano is a mostly solid defender. He could be a useful asset to have for clubs in need of centre-back depth.

It is not clear how much Bayern will demand for him in the summer. Upamecano currently has an Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €48.6 million, which goes to show that he is still a highly-rated player, who has the potential to achieve greatness if he can stop making silly mistakes.

This is also backed up by data analytics firm SciSports. They believe that Upamecano is a decent defender who still has loads of potential despite already being 25. Indeed, such is his ability that SciSports are confident that he would be an upgrade on Man Utd's current defensive options, for example.

As per SciSports' Career Advice tool, a move to the Premier League wouldn't be a terrible career choice. Though they believe that he should remain in the Bundesliga, with Bayern and Borussia Dortmund his best options, three Premier League clubs are in the top five of his best-suited sides.

Arsenal, Man Utd and Man City have a solid Club Fit rating of 77, though it is believed that the Frenchman would struggle for game time in north London and under Pep Guardiola.

Man Utd could, therefore, be his best transfer option in the Premier League and they were previously interested in him. Perhaps this is a move the new INEOS chiefs at the club should look into.