"I won't wait until summer" - Bayern Munich star Joshua Kimmich speaks up on his future amid links with Real Madrid
Bayern Munich star Joshua Kimmich has spoken up about his future amid rumours linking him with a move to Spanish giants Real Madrid. The German midfielder has claimed that he will "sit down with the club" and take a decision on his future in January 2025.
Although the Merengues added French superstar Kylian Mbappe to their squad on a free transfer last summer, they have not been the dominant force that most predicted they would be. They have made up some ground in the LaLiga title race due to bitter rivals Barcelona's recent slip-ups but are stuck in a rut in the UEFA Champions League.
Real Madrid currently sit second in LaLiga on 33 points, one point behind Barca with a game in hand. However, they have won just two of their five UCL games (three losses) thus far and face the prospect of elimination from the competition.
Their midfield has been an area of concern due to recurring injuries and inconsistent performances from the likes of Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga. Kimmich has emerged as a top option in order to fill the void left after Toni Kroos' retirement owing to his tendency to play as a deep-lying playmaker.
With his contract expiring at the end of the season, multiple top European sides are scrambling for his signature, including Real Madrid. In a recent interview, the 29-year-old confirmed that he will take a decision on his future during the winter transfer window, saying (via Madrid Universal h/t Mundo Deportivo):
"I won't wait until summer. I will sit down with the club this winter and try to see the big picture. In January I will make the right decision."
Kimmich has made 19 appearances for Bayern this season, bagging four assists.
"He should become a face of our club" - Bayern Munich executive sends message to Joshua Kimmich amid Real Madrid, Barcelona rumours
Bayern Munich's director of sport Max Eberl has claimed that the club are willing to extend midfielder Joshua Kimmich's contract at the Allianz Arena. The 51-year-old said that the administration wants the 29-year-old star to "become a face" of the club instead of letting him go to another top European side like Real Madrid.
Kimmich joined Bayern for a reported €8.5 million from VfB Stuttgart in the summer of 2015. He has bagged 42 goals and 108 assists in 409 appearances for the Bavarians, winning eight Bundesliga titles, three DFB-Pokals and a Champions League title, among many others.
With his contract expiring at the end of the 2024-25 season, top European sides like Real Madrid, Barcelona, Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) have been linked with a move. Amid the rumours, Eberl has confirmed that Bayern are trying their best to keep Kimmich at the club.
Speaking to Sport Bild, Eberl said (via Bavarian Football Works h/t @iMiaSanMia on X):
"I think we are very, very open with him. We're telling him: We want to extend your contract. We're saying that he should become the captain of FC Bayern when Manuel Neuer is no longer on the pitch. And we're letting him know that he should become a face of our club. We have made that clear to him and we stand behind that."
Up next, Kimmich will be seen in action in Bayern Munich's DFB-Pokal clash against 2023-24 champions Bayer Leverkusen (December 3).