The much anticipated announcement of Joshua Kimmich’s contract extension at Bayern Munich was made official last week, with a new deal in place to keep him at the club until 2025. Reports suggest Leon Goretzka is soon to follow suit, but the Kimmich announcement was a breath of fresh air after what’s already been a long summer of contract negotiations for a handful of key players on Bayern’s roster.
Per a new report from Evening News, it was even revealed that Kimmich negotiated his new deal without the presence of an agent. Rather, he individually worked with Hasan Salihamidzic, Oliver Kahn, and the rest of the club’s front office to reach a final agreement on a new deal.
Additionally, he said that Julian Nagelsmann had a big hand in his decision to sign the new deal. “To sign a coach for five years was a very clear sign. We are all convinced of the coach,” he said. Bringing in a new manager can always be a potential roadblock for negotiating new contracts, but it’s clear that Nagelsmann articulately outlined his vision for Kimmich in the coming seasons to the point where Bayern’s number 6 would want to stay for at least another four years.
At the heart of Bayern’s midfield, Kimmich was arguably highest on the priority list alongside Goretzka in terms of getting a new deal sorted. Goretzka’s current contract is set to expire next summer and Kimmich emphasized his desire to have his midfield partner get a new deal over the line. “Our goal is to keep the team together like this. I would like him to follow suit and play at Bayern for even longer,” he stressed. From a squad planning and building perspective, especially with the outrageous landscape of the transfer market, Goretzka signing a new deal would follow what Kahn referred to as a “very important signal” from the club in renewing Kimmich’s contract until 2025.
Photo by Marco Donato/FC Bayern Muenchen via Getty Images
As a desired commodity among European football, the option was always on the table for Kimmich to pursue offers from other clubs. Arguably, Bayern’s fiscal responsibility strays in comparison from some of the transfer fees other major European clubs are able to throw out to sign top talents. Kimmich surely could’ve earned more money if he had transferred abroad, but he’s not worried about just money. “The financial (aspect) is an important factor, but you can also earn a lot of money in other countries. I was also attracted by other things,” he said. “I have a team with which I can achieve anything, and many teammates have become real friends. That’s why I started playing football in the first place: Because it should be fun,” he continued.
Despite interest from other clubs, Kimmich stressed that he still feels Bayern is the best place for him to push for the Champions League title as well as the domestic titles. Because of that, he said he’s never really thought about going anywhere else. “With the overall package, I’m in the best of hands here. I haven’t even dealt with other clubs at all,” he emphasized.
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