After Oliver Kahn announced the end of Niklas Süle at FC Bayern, the Munich CEO went into detail about contract issues, which he considered to be a top priority.

"Whether it's Manuel Neuer, whether it's Robert Lewandowski, whether it's Thomas Müller - they are all greats of this club, all players who can also be credited with the successes of the last decade and the current successes," said Kahn on Wednesday in Munich in a video interview round about formative figures of a great Bayern era.

"It goes without saying that we exchange ideas with all these players in order to understand what they are thinking and what they want. Of course, that's right at the top of our agenda for the foreseeable future," said Kahn, sitting casually in a chair in front of a red wall. The working papers of Neuer (35), Müller (32) and Lewandowski (33), who was once again named world footballer, are dated up to and including June 30, 2023.

Like Corentin Tolisso, Sule's contract expires this summer.

Despite talks over a “very long time”, it was not possible to agree on an extension.

The central defender was "made a very good offer," said Kahn.

"But we have to comply with certain economic limits." Recently there was speculation that FC Barcelona, ​​Newcastle United and Chelsea FC might be interested in Süle.

The cases of the three club heroes Neuer, Lewandowski and Müller are completely different.

Not only Honorary President Uli Hoeneß "cannot imagine the years 2024 and 2025 without this trio".

Kahn, together with sports director Hasan Salihamidzic, whom he trusts “for a long time” at FC Bayern beyond the end of his contract in 2023, also wants to expand the cooperation with the oldie faction.

"An absolute phenomenon"

According to reports, Neuer is said to have reached an agreement on a contract by mid-2025, and difficult negotiations are not to be expected for club veteran Müller.

That leaves Lewandowski, whose calculations could also influence the future of BVB star Erling Haaland.

"I'm not going to talk about players from other clubs now," said Kahn.

Lewandowski has priority anyway. "Of course we will do everything we can to keep Robert with us for as long as possible," said the 52-year-old CEO, who succeeded Karl-Heinz Rummenigge at the helm of FC Bayern AG six months ago. Lewandowski is "an absolute phenomenon," said Kahn. He is good for 25, 30 or probably more goals every season and an "insurance" for FC Bayern. And physically, the model athlete from Poland is in perfect shape.

FC Bayern recently extended several contracts for players from the Süle (26) generation.

After the contract extensions with Joshua Kimmich (26 years/contract until mid-2025), Leon Goretzka (26/2026) and Kingsley Coman (25/2027), an expansion of the collaboration with Serge Gnabry (26) is also expected.

His contract expires in summer 2023.

At Tolisso, the future is open.

"Nothing better can happen to us than for the players to perform at their best and then bring themselves back into the game," said former goalkeeper "Titan" Kahn.

With Süle it was not enough to reach an agreement. Kahn attested to the national player's "solid, confident" performance and counted him "with his qualities as one of the best central defenders available at the moment". The defensive giant switched from TSG 1899 Hoffenheim to Munich in the summer of 2017 for around 20 million euros. Süle promoter Julian Nagelsmann, to whom Kahn certified “sensational” work as the new Bayern coach, would have been happy if the professional, who was already known from Hoffenheim, would have stayed.

Süle leaves the club free of charge in the summer.

Most recently, the Munich team had not received any transfers for David Alaba, Jérôme Boateng and Javi Martínez.

The situation in which players left the clubs for free "is not exclusive to FC Bayern," Kahn pointed out.

On the other hand, professionals could also come to Säbener Straße free of charge.

"I think there are more opportunities than risks for us in the current situation."

Recently, there was speculation about Antonio Rüdiger and Andreas Christensen from Chelsea or Denis Zakaria from Borussia Mönchengladbach as possible additions after Süle's departure.

All three professionals are also free transfers in the summer.