Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge insists Manuel Neuer’s contract renewal will not be impacted by the coronavirus shutdown, amid speculation linking him with Chelsea.
The German stopper is set to enter the final year of his existing deal this summer, and there have been reports suggesting Bayern have lined up Barcelona’s Marc-Andre Ter Stegen as a potential replacement.
Blues boss Frank Lampard, meanwhile, has not appeared satisfied with his goalkeeping options, dropping first choice Kepa Arrizabalaga earlier this season before reinstating the Spaniard shortly before the shutdown began.
Neuer is one of several key players, including Thomas Muller, David Alaba and Thiago, whose contracts are due to expire in 2021, but at a time when some of Europe’s biggest names are taking pay cuts to ease the financial burden on their clubs, Rummenigge says Bayern will not be low-balling their stars.
“For Manuel [Neuer], the same applies as for all the players whose contracts expire in the summer of 2021,” Rummenigge told Merkur and TZ.
“We had already submitted offers before the coronavirus crisis, and we don’t want to take advantage of the crisis now in order to push these well-deserving players down in price.
“I think that all these players know that they have a very solid and very reliable employer in FC Bayern who deals with them very fairly.”
