FC Bayern Munich news and rumours: Is the release clause now invalid? Fresh details have surfaced regarding Nico Schlotterbeck’s contract extension

Nico Schlotterbeck’s new BVB contract includes a release clause that does not apply to FC Bayern Munich.

Sky has confirmed the rumours: the centre-back could leave Borussia Dortmund after the upcoming World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico for a fixed transfer fee of €60 million; however, this clause is reportedly only intended to apply to a select group of clubs.

The German champions are not among them. The record champions have shown only tentative interest in the 26-year-old, mainly as insurance should Min-Jae Kim depart for Italy; in that scenario, Munich would likely return to the market to reinforce the back line, despite having suitable options in Hiroki Ito and Josip Stanisic.

Real Madrid is reported to be among the clubs covered by the release clause, as the Spanish champions continue to seek a high-caliber centre-back.

David Alaba’s deal expires at the end of the season and is unlikely to be extended, while Antonio Rüdiger’s contract runs only until June 2026, leaving his future uncertain.

Schlotterbeck only recently extended his BVB deal to 2031, but the new terms include an exit clause that can be triggered as early as after the World Cup.

During Dortmund’s weekend home fixture against Bayer 04 Leverkusen, the 26-year-old was booed—a clear reaction to what supporters saw as a hypocritical declaration of loyalty.

Former Bayern Munich duo Pierre-Emile Höjbjerg and Benjamin Pavard are expected to seek new clubs this summer.

According to French daily La Provence, the pair no longer fits into Olympique Marseille’s plans and will be put up for sale in the next transfer window.

Höjbjerg is under contract at OM until 2028, whereas Pavard is merely on loan from Inter Milan, so the €15m buy-out clause will not be triggered. The Frenchman is also surplus to requirements at Inter, where he is tied until 2028.

Nevertheless, Marseille could recoup some funds from Höjbjerg, with Juventus, Inter Milan and AS Roma all linked to the midfielder. Reports suggest a fee of €12 million plus bonuses is being discussed.

Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes has congratulated Harry Kane on his move to Bayern Munich.

In the Portuguese playmaker’s view, Kane made the right choice to leave his long-time club Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2023 and join the German record champions.

“He chose Bayern, and that’s a smart move because he now has a real chance to win trophies,” Fernandes told The Times. That opportunity would have remained out of reach at Spurs, where Kane spent nearly two decades.

“If he’d stayed at Tottenham for another season or two, he would have become the Premier League’s all-time top scorer. So would he have been a legend or not? He would have been,” the Portuguese international continued. Thanks to his move to FCB, Kane now also has a realistic chance of landing individual honours such as the Ballon d’Or: “Now we’re talking about Harry Kane, who scores just as many goals as he did at Tottenham, but he could now win a Ballon d’Or because he’ll be winning trophies.”

Kane already won the Bundesliga with Bayern last season and could add three more trophies this term: Munich currently dominate the league, sit well clear of Borussia Dortmund, and remain in contention in both the Champions League and the DFB-Pokal.