Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Bayern Munich head coach Hansi Flick hopes remains hopeful that 28-year-old defender David Alaba will sign a contract extension with the Bundesliga side.
“I still hope that he will extend,” said Flick. “I think he knows what the current situation is in Munich, that we play successfully, that the club is one of the best in the world. He’ll think well about that. I hope he stays with us, but he has to make a decision himself.
“He’s focused, loud on the pitch and leads the defence. For me, there’s no difference to last season, he’s one of the best in the world.”
Alaba has less than one-year remaining on his current contract and is free to sign a pre-contract agreement with another club in January. Bayern Munich held a third round of negotiations with the entourage of the Austrian international but failed to reach an agreement.
Bayern bosses offered Alaba a new five-year contract, an improvement on their previous offer. However, the central defender wants to be among the highest paid players at the European champions.
