'There can be no other option' - Bayern Munich director makes admission over Jamal Musiala contract | OneFootball

Bayern Munich sporting director Max Eberl has admitted the club cannot afford to even entertain the idea of losing Jamal Musiala.

The young midfielder has established himself as one of the top young talents in the world and has been heavily linked with moves to the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City and ex-club Chelsea.

For now, however, the ball remains in Bayern's court. Musiala is under contract until 2026 and Eberl stressed the importance of thrashing out an extension with the Germany international.

"If you look at my history, there have always been young players with extremely great talent and potential that we had in the squad," Eberl told SPORTBILD. "This is the case with Jamal, Mathys [Tel] and Aleks Pavlovic.

"Mathys has already extended until 2029 - with Jamal, an extension is a big goal, there can be no other option for us. This support for young players does not mean that we do not value experienced players. They help ensure the development of these talented players."

Having not signed a new contract since shortly after turning 18 in 2021, only two years after he joined the club, Musiala is one of the lowest earners in the starting lineup and Bayern are desperate to hand him a significant pay rise to reflect his importance to the team.

Reports suggest Musiala's representatives recently met with another sporting director, Christoph Freund, to informally discuss the idea of an extension. According to BILD, Musiala is open in staying in Munich but would also listen to offers to take him back to England.

Musiala's top priority is finding an environment in which he can blossom into a global superstar, and he is in no rush to make any decisions on his future at Bayern while the German side do not yet know who will lead the team next season.

The 21-year-old also wants financial compensation for his impressive performances. He currently earns less than half of what the highest-earners are taking home at the Allianz Arena, and while there are no suggestions that Musiala is demanding that sort of money, it is clear Bayern need to hand him a significant pay rise.