Upamecano in limbo as Bayern face Liverpool and Real Madrid threat

Bayern Munich find themselves in a frustrating holding pattern with Dayot Upamecano, and Liverpool are circling as the Bundesliga side's patience wears thin.

The German champions have tabled what they're calling their final offer to the 27-year-old centre-back, whose contract expires this summer. But Upamecano appears reluctant to commit, leaving Bayern in a peculiar limbo whilst other heavyweight suitors sniff around.

According to Sky Germany's Florian Plettenberg, the defender's signature is effectively being held ransom by interest from the Merseyside outfit and Real Madrid. The Bayern brass are desperate for clarity before the January window slams shut on Monday night, but Upamecano seems content to keep his cards close to his chest.

The Bayern proposal on the table

Bayern's package is hardly shabby. The contract extension would tie Upamecano down until 2030 or 2031, with a release clause kicking in from summer 2027. He'd pocket €20m gross annually plus a substantial signing-on fee courtesy of his representatives. Yet the Frenchman remains unmoved.

"Everyone is waiting for his commitment, his signature," Plettenberg told Sky Sports News. "His contract is ready. But Bayern Munich will not improve their offer. Bayern is waiting for weeks, they want a decision soon. But my opinion is he's waiting for Liverpool, for Real Madrid."

Plettenberg has confirmed Liverpool's genuine interest in the former RB Leipzig man, whilst also noting that European champions Paris Saint-Germain have thrown their hat into the ring.

Liverpool's defensive void

The timing suits Liverpool's predicament perfectly. Arne Slot's side desperately need reinforcement at centre-back, yet they've surprisingly avoided dipping into the market this month. Their own situation mirrors Bayern's headache—Ibrahima Konate's contract also runs down in the summer, and his form this season hardly justifies throwing serious money at a renewal.

Real Madrid had previously eyed Konate as a free-agent option but ditched those plans after his patchy performances in the first half of the campaign.

Virgil van Dijk remains Liverpool's standout defender, but the 34-year-old's displays have slipped noticeably from the heights of 2024/25, and he'll turn 35 come July. Relying on him to maintain such standards would be naive planning.

The Guehi regret

Liverpool's defensive shopping list reads like a catalogue of near-misses. Marc Guehi represented the obvious upgrade last summer, but the Crystal Palace move never materialised despite them getting agonisingly close. Come the deadline in summer 2025, they didn't pursue him on a free transfer, allowing Manchester City to swoop in for £20m just weeks ago.

Upamecano would represent decent compensation for that misstep. Whether Bayern's ultimatum accelerates Liverpool's thinking remains to be seen—but the clock is ticking for all parties involved.