Bayern Munich are already making moves ahead of the winter transfer window as they look to add more depth to their wing positions. The German champions are looking towards La Liga to sign a Spanish winger that might close the door for Jadon Sancho.
The German champions are racing to sign Bryan Zaragoza from Granada in a shrewd deal that has raised some eyebrows in Germany. Marcos Benito revealed the move, which is priced at $16.2 (€15) million. The German club is paying just above the release clause to seal the signature of the 22-year-old winger.
The Spanish winger joined Granada in 2022 and has made 51 appearances since his signature. In these appearances, he has scored 10 goals and three assists. Seven goal contributions out of 13 have come under this season.
⚡️🇪🇸 Bryan Zaragoza (22) is very close to joining Bayern Munich for a fee of €15m, reports @marcosbenito9! 🔴⚪️ pic.twitter.com/UO8yivomkH
— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) December 5, 2023
Zaragoza has established himself in Granada this season with his versatility by playing multiple positions such as left-winger, attacking midfielder, Center forward, and right midfield. The pacey and skillful winger caught the eye of La Liga fans when he won the Man of the Match award for his brace against FC Barcelona in a 2-2 draw on match day nine.
🚨🔴 Bayern are closing in on a deal to sign Bryan Zaragoza! Agreement being sealed with Granada, at final stages.
Deal will be valid for June 2024, player staying at Granada until end of the season as revealed by @marcosbenito9 @elchiringuitotv.
Personal terms already agreed. pic.twitter.com/3N4634acVw
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) December 5, 2023
The Spanish winger has been essential for Granada and therefore is expected to remain in La Liga for the rest of the season, as this move kicks in June 2024. The Spanish side is 19th in the table with only one victory in 15 matches and would need Zaragoza to fight for their survival in La Liga.
Bayern Munich closes the door on Jadon Sancho
This move by Bayern Munich is expected to close the door for Jadon Sancho. The English winger has been frozen out of Manchester United after a public spat with manager, Erik ten Hag. The situation in England might force Sancho to move out of the club for regular game time.
Since the spat, Sancho has been linked with numerous clubs around Europe, and among them, Bayern Munich was also running. It was reported that the German club wanted to add more depth to the squad in wide areas due to the poor injury history of Serge Gnabry, Kingsley Coman, and Leroy Sane. Sancho was speculated for a move due to his success history in the Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund.
However, Zaragoza’s move put question marks on the speculated move for the English winger. The hefty price tag of Manchester United, which is reported at around $50 million along with the wage demand of the winger, may have prompted the board of the German champions to look for cheaper and younger talent.
🚨 NEW: Jadon Sancho is still leaning towards a January transfer but he also wants to wait and see what happens inside Manchester United (owner etc).
There is no fixed price tag for Sancho – a loan with an option to buy is still the most realistic scenario. The interest from… pic.twitter.com/SJL9hcFoR3
— mufcmpb (@mufcMPB) December 4, 2023
There is a slight hope for Sancho as Zaragoza is not expected to join before the summer of 2024. Bayern Munich can still move for the English winger for a loan deal in the winter transfer window to give them an extra edge in their hunt for the UCL title. The major pushback remains the wages of the winger.
Jadon Sancho’s current wages at Manchester United amount to approximately $302,000 per week, which might price him out of the loan deal. The winger needs to look at Joao Felix, who sacrificed a huge chunk for his dream move to FC Barcelona. The ball is in the court of the English winger if he wants to move away from Manchester United.