The treble winners have withdrawn their contract offer and the only questions now are when and where the Austrian will go
David Alaba has been absolutely vital to Hansi Flick’s incredible success during the past year.
The gulf between the two parties has been clear for a while but when the news dropped on Sunday, it still felt jarring. Bayern Munich’s president, Herbert Hainer, has steered the ship through largely tranquil times since taking the helm just under a year ago, with a second treble in seven years to crown it all at the end of the season under the guidance of Hansi Flick.
Now, one could say that Hainer has genuinely started the job as Bayern president, having had to make a tough public stance. Speaking to Bayerischer Rundfunk, he confirmed suspicions that negotiations to extend the expiring contract of David Alaba had ceased, and that the club had now withdrawn their offer. Although sporting director, Hasan Salihamidzic, had spoken last month about not wanting to give Alaba “an ultimatum” after such a long working relationship, the Bayern board were keen to have clarity by the end of October – and they have taken the defender’s lack of a positive response as a conclusion.
“We hadn’t heard anything until yesterday,” Hainer said on Sunday, “so Hasan Salihamidzic checked with the adviser again. The answer was that the offer is still unsatisfactory and we should think further [about it]. We decided to finish the offer and to take it off the table – that means there is no longer any offer.” The only question remaining, apparently, is whether Alaba will leave in January or when his deal expires, next summer. Continue reading