Bayern Munich are set to offload winger Bryan Zaragoza, who has agreed to a move to Espanyol Barcelona. According to transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano, the Spanish player has already reached an agreement with the Catalan club, as reported this week.
Only the terms between the clubs remain to be settled. A loan deal with an option to buy is under discussion. The 24-year-old Zaragoza, who is under contract until 2029, has no future under coach Vincent Kompany. Sporting director Max Eberl has repeatedly stated in recent days that the manager has no use for the attacking player.
Why is Bryan Zaragoza leaving Bayern Munich?
Zaragoza has never really established himself since his signing in January 2024. Bayern brought forward the transfer from Granada at the time, paying around 17 million euros. Since then, he has made just seven competitive appearances for the club without a single goal contribution. Language barriers and a reportedly strained relationship with former coach Thomas Tuchel are cited as reasons for his lack of playing time.
His time in Munich has been defined by loan spells. After a loan to Celta Vigo, where he was a regular starter, stints at CA Osasuna and most recently at AS Roma followed. At Roma, he made only six appearances after a knee injury in March, leading the club to decline the agreed purchase option of 13 million euros. They even accepted a penalty payment of 500,000 euros.
What are Bayern's options on the wing?
Bayern are excellently equipped on the flanks, further diminishing Zaragoza's prospects. Luis Diaz, Michael Olise, Lennart Karl, and Serge Gnabry provide Kompany with high-quality options. In addition, there are loan returnee Arijon Ibrahimovic, who is planned as a rotation player for the first half of the season, and new signing Ismael Saibari. Further talents like Wisdom Mike or Tim Binder are available from the youth ranks. The current squad overview can be found on our squad page.
Who else could leave Bayern Munich?
Alongside Zaragoza, the officials around Max Eberl are also seeking solutions for Sacha Boey and Joao Palhinha. The latter is said to be on the verge of a move to Benfica Lisbon. On the incoming side, however, no further signings are planned after the acquisitions of Nathaniel Brown and Saibari. The transfer window is closing soon, and the focus is now on optimizing the squad for the upcoming tasks in the Bundesliga and Champions League. The upcoming matches are listed in our fixtures calendar.
For Zaragoza, the move to Espanyol represents a chance to regain his footing in his native Spain and reconnect with his past performances. For Bayern, it is another step in streamlining the squad and providing a new opportunity for players without a perspective. The development of the Bundesliga table can be followed on our standings page.
