Canada wing back Alphonso Davies decides to stay with Bayern Munich

MUNICH (AP) — Canada wing back Alphonso Davies has finally signed a contract extension with Bayern Munich.

The Bavarian powerhouse announced Tuesday that the 24-year-old Davies signed a deal through June 2030. His contract was set to expire at the end of this season.

“Phonzy has been playing for Bayern since he was 18 and quickly embraced the club,” Bayern’s board member for sport Max Eberl said in the team’s announcement. “We see him as one of the figures in the new generation of our team who are increasingly taking on responsibility. He’s grown up here and will continue to grow with the team.”

Talks between the club and player were protracted amid reported interest from Real Madrid. Eberl said in March 2024 that Bayern had made its final offer to Davies for an extension. But Madrid failed to act decisively on its supposed interest and Davies finally opted to stay at the club that he joined in 2018 for a then-record MLS fee from the Vancouver Whitecaps.

“I came to FC Bayern when I was 18 and just wanted to learn as much as possible every day to become one of the best in my position,” Davies said. “Now I’m looking forward to another five years together. I’ve already achieved a lot here, but there’s more to come.”

Davies was born in the Buduburam refugee camp west of Accra in Ghana to parents who had fled civil war in Monrovia, Liberia. They moved in 2006 when he was 5 to Edmonton, where Davies began playing soccer, first at school, then at a free after-school league for inner-city children.

Davies joined the Whitecaps’ residency program when he was 14, going on to become the youngest player to appear in the United Soccer League and the first born this century to play in the MLS.

Davies has made 220 competitive appearances for Bayern, scoring 12 goals and setting up 34 more. He has won five Bundesliga titles, two German Cup titles, and the Champions League with the club. He also has played 56 games for Canada.

Davies’ extension comes a day after veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer signed a one-year extension.

Bayern midfielder Joshua Kimmich and forwards Leroy Sané and Thomas Müller all have contracts expiring at the end of the season.

There are also questions over the future of star attacking midfielder Jamal Musiala, whose deal expires next season.

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