Thomas Mueller extends with Bayern until 2025

Bayern Munich has handed experienced forward Thomas Mueller a one-year contract extension through to the end of the 2024-25 season, putting him within sight of the club’s all-time appearance record. (AP/File)
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Updated 19 December 2023
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Thomas Mueller extends with Bayern until 2025

  • “I’m happy my journey at FC Bayern is continuing,” Mueller said in a statement
  • Despite wearing the captain’s armband several times this season, the 34-year-old has received less game time under coach Thomas Tuchel

MUNICH: Veteran Bayern Munich attacker Thomas Mueller has extended his deal by one year to 2025, the Bavarian club announced on Tuesday.
“I’m happy my journey at FC Bayern is continuing. I want to play my part in us remaining successful, both as a team and the whole club,” Mueller said in a statement.
Mueller’s contract was set to expire at the end of this season.
Calling Mueller “quality and reliability personified,” Bayern sporting director Christoph Freund said the veteran was “a leader on and off the pitch, always a role model and incredibly valuable for the entire team.”
Despite wearing the captain’s armband several times this season, the 34-year-old has received less game time under coach Thomas Tuchel, enjoying just five league starts.
Mueller has become synonymous with the Bavarian giants and has been at Bayern for more than two decades, having joined as a 10-year-old in 2000 from village club TSV Paehl, located just 50 kilometers from Munich.
A two-time Champions League winner, Mueller has won 12 Bundesliga titles with Bayern in a career spanning 684 games, scoring 237 goals and providing 261 assists.
Only former Bayern goalkeeper Sepp Maier has played more games for the club and only Gerd Mueller, with 568, and Robert Lewandowski, with 344, have more goals for the club.
For Germany, Mueller was first called up in March of 2010, where he played in a 1-0 defeat to Argentina.
Since then, the attacker has played 126 games, scoring 45 times and winning the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Mueller was left out of the Germany squad after their group-stage exit at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, with many expecting his time with the four-time World Cup winners was over.
However, he was recalled in September, scoring a goal in a 2-1 win over France, and looks likely to play a role in next year’s home European Championship under former Bayern boss Julian Nagelsmann.
In November, Mueller’s captain and long-time teammate Manuel Neuer, 37, also extended his deal by a season to 2025.


Man City sign ‘extraordinary’ Semenyo from Bournemouth

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Man City sign ‘extraordinary’ Semenyo from Bournemouth

  • “Everyone knows his qualities, right?” Guardiola told reporters on Friday
  • The 26-year-old arrives after City met his 65 million pound release clause

LONDON: Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola said the club have had their eye on Antoine Semenyo for years after they signed the Ghana winger from Bournemouth on Friday.
Semenyo, who will be in the squad on Saturday when Guardiola’s side host League One outfit Exeter City in the third round of the FA Cup, is the Premier League’s third-highest scorer this season and will offer City’s Premier League title charge a timely boost.
“Everyone knows his qualities, right?” Guardiola told reporters on Friday. “He played extraordinary at Bournemouth and can play on both sides — right, left — he uses both legs unbelievably. As a striker he can play as well, with his pace, and he knows the Premier League.
“Many clubs wanted him and he decided to join us. All I can say is thanks to him. Pretty pleased for the next years.”
The 26-year-old, who has 10 league goals and three assists ⁠this season, arrives after City met his 65 million pound ($87.19 million) release clause, according to British media reports, amid competition from other Premier League rivals.


“A few years (City had tracked Semenyo),” Guardiola said. “A long time we followed and for the situation we have up front with the wingers, we have three specific players Oscar (Bobb), Savinho and Jeremy (Doku), so we needed to reinforce for the next years and that’s why the club made the gesture to take him and at the perfect age (26). So the best ⁠years to come.”
The versatile winger joins a City side that trails leaders Arsenal by six points in the Premier League after 21 games.
“I have watched City over the last decade under Pep Guardiola, and they have been the dominant team in the Premier League as well as achieving amazing things in the Champions League, FA Cup and League Cup,” Semenyo said in a statement.
“They have set the highest of standards and it’s a club with world-class players, world-class facilities and one of the greatest managers ever in Pep.
“I have so much scope for improvement, so to be at this club, at this stage of my career, is perfect for me. It’s a real privilege to be here. My best football is yet to come, I am sure of ⁠that.”

SCINTILLATING FORM
The Ghana international has been in scintillating form this season after joining Bournemouth in 2023 from Championship side Bristol City.
He began the Premier League season with a double against champions Liverpool and maintained that momentum throughout the campaign, with his last goal for Bournemouth being a stoppage-time winner in a thrilling 3-2 victory over Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday.
“Antoine is a really exciting signing for the football club. He made it clear to us immediately that it was City he wanted to join,” City’s director of football Hugo Viana said.
“His enthusiasm for this football club has been clear throughout this process. He has huge quality. Two great feet, pace, power, a habit of influencing games and, importantly, real room for growth and development.”
Semenyo joins an already potent City attack featuring the league’s top scorer Erling Haaland (20 league goals), Phil Foden, Rayan Cherki and Doku.