- 3 hours ago
Musiala hands Chelsea HUGE transfer blow
Chelsea and Manchester City are among the sides who could be left disappointed after Jamal Musiala gave his clearest indication yet that he would sign a new contract with Bayern Munich.
Musiala is entering the final 18 months of his contract and the 21-year-old has so far resisted the efforts to extend his deal, prompting interest from a host of Europe’s top sides.
However, Musiala now looks set to extend his stay with Bayern after netting a hat-trick for the Bundesliga giants in their DFB-Pokal second round win at Mainz.
Speaking after the 4-0 rout, Musiala revealed he was in talks with Bayern over his future and insisted that he was happy at the club, with his aim to make a firm decision over the winter break next month.
"Yes, I can. We are in talks. I am happy and enjoying my time here,” Musiala told BILD when asked if he could see himself extending his deal at Bayern. “I have to say, I'm really happy. I hope you can see that I'm happy here too."
“My focus in the last few weeks was to get fit again after the injury, to get the small problems under control and now to get through the first half of the season well. Then I can take more time to think about it during the winter break."
Musiala to become 'face' of Bayern Munich
The news will come as a blow to Chelsea, who had only this week been linked with a move for Musiala, having seen the English-born German international come through their academy as a youngster.
City had also considered Musiala as a potential successor to Kevin de Bruyne but the attacking midfielder appears to have been convinced by Bayern’s efforts to keep him at the club.
Director Max Eberl had recently revealed that both Musiala and Joshua Kimmich, who is out of contract next summer, would become the 'faces' of Bayern if they chose to extend their deals.
“I’m very confident. Something is happening here and Jamal is noticing that too,” Eberl said earlier this month. “He’s an exceptional player, and alongside Josh [Kimmich] and a few others he should become a face of Bayern.
“We told the player that too. And now we are looking at how we can reach an agreement. I’m an optimist and I see no reason why he should leave Bayern."