Jurgen Klopp has added a twist to Konrad Laimer's Bayern München contract situation by admitting he wanted him at Liverpool. Bayern, though, are already close to keeping the Austrian long term. Uli Hoeneß said that in principle only the signature is missing, while Laimer himself has called the deal very good path.

Bayern's case for keeping Laimer

Laimer has been at Bayern München since a free transfer from RB Leipzig in 2023, and the club say he has already made 136 appearances for them. That is a useful reminder of why Bayern are pushing to extend now. He is not a fringe player waiting for a bigger role, he is already embedded in the squad.

The numbers from last season back up the point. Laimer played 47 times in all competitions and logged 3,297 minutes. He also produced 13 assists and scored seven goals, which is a strong return for a player whose value is often described in work-rate terms first. Bayern have had plenty of evidence that he can give them more than one function.

Klopp's line only sharpens the picture. Speaking on Magenta TV, he said: "As for Laimer, I can say this: I would play him as a defensive midfielder. I wanted to bring him to Liverpool to play in that #6 role. But then he went to Bayern." That is a straightforward compliment from a manager who clearly rated him highly.

The asterisk pundits raise

The public wording around the contract is not perfectly aligned. Hoeneß said the signature is the only thing missing, while Laimer said it is not official yet and that it is "definitely on a very good path." Those two comments do not cancel each other out, but they do show why nobody should write the club announcement before it lands.

Even so, the balance of evidence leans one way. Laimer's workload, output and flexibility make him exactly the kind of player Bayern should be trying to secure. Klopp wanted him for Liverpool as a No 6, Bayern have used him as a regular across roles, and the club are talking as if the deal is nearly done. That is a pretty strong endorsement of how he has fit in since leaving Leipzig.

If the signature follows, Bayern will have kept a player they have already leaned on for 136 appearances. Klopp's old interest just makes the extension look smarter, not louder.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 6 outlets. How we work →