"I made a conscious decision not to!" FC Bayern loanee turns down national team call-up

In January, manager Vincent Kompany gave the midfielder his first two Bundesliga appearances, before he moved to 1. FC Köln on loan until the end of the season on transfer deadline day. "He should now get regular Bundesliga game time and take the next step," said sporting director Christoph Freund as he bid him farewell. "Felipe is a really good footballer with an exceptionally strong left foot and has a lot of potential for the future." 

Cologne’s sporting director Thomas Kessler explained: “With his attacking abilities, he gives us additional versatility in midfield.” Although Chavez feels generally at home in Cologne, according to the Abendzeitung, his sporting acclimatisation is still proving difficult. 

In the seven matches since his move, Chavez has come on as a substitute four times, but has only managed a total of 39 minutes. Cologne failed to win any of these matches and slipped further into the relegation battle; as a result, manager Lukas Kwasniok was sacked and replaced by Rene Wagner.

Despite his mixed form in Cologne, Chavez was originally set to be included in the Peruvian squad for the upcoming friendlies against Senegal and Honduras – but he voluntarily withdrew. Incidentally, Peru has not qualified for next summer’s World Cup. 

“Although it is a great honour and a sign of appreciation for my sporting achievements, I have made a conscious decision not to play for the Peruvian national team,” Chavez, who was born in Aichach, Bavaria, to a Peruvian father and a German mother, told the Express. “My focus is clearly on supporting my club and the team as best I can during a difficult phase of the season. I will therefore use the upcoming international break to continue to make myself available and to provide 1. FC Köln with the best possible support in their mission to avoid relegation.” 

It is not only his team’s survival in the league that remains uncertain, but also his own future. Cologne hold a buy-back option in the mid-single-digit millions. Should they exercise it, Munich could bring Chavez back in 2027 or 2028 via a buy-back clause. This is therefore the same model as with Noel Aseko. After his loan club Hannover 96 signed him on a permanent basis, Munich brought him back immediately.