Attacking midfielder Thomas Mueller confirmed on Saturday that Bayern Munich will not offer him a new contract, bringing an end to his 25-year association with the club at the conclusion of this season.
The 35-year-old, whose contract is set to expire in the summer, expressed in a social media post that the decision came from the club and was “not what I would have wished.”
He mentioned he wasn’t happy with how the contract negotiations unfolded in public but acknowledged the appreciation he received from everyone at Bayern over his long career.
Mueller, who joined Bayern’s youth ranks at age 10, has won two Champions League titles and 12 Bundesliga championships.
He remains focused on helping Bayern secure the league title and reach the Champions League final this season, which will take place at Bayern’s Allianz Arena.
Bayern Munich announced that Mueller would be honoured with a testimonial match and will play at the Club World Cup in July. Club president Herbert Hainer described his career as the “definition of a Bavarian fairytale.”
Having played 743 matches for Bayern and scored 247 goals with 273 assists, Mueller holds the record for the most appearances in the club’s history.
Despite now frequently starting on the bench, speculation about his future has grown, and reports suggest he might move to Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States.
Mueller, a 2014 World Cup winner with Germany, retired from international football after Euro 2024, having earned 131 caps and scored 45 goals.
Bayern’s sporting director, Max Eberl, stated the decision not to continue with Mueller was “anything but easy” and stressed that the focus was on the club’s future.
With Jamal Musiala injured in Bayern’s 3-1 win at Augsburg, Mueller could feature in the upcoming Champions League quarter-final against Inter Milan on Tuesday.
