Bayern Munich have no plans to sell Japanese defender Hiroki Ito during the current transfer window. Sporting director Christoph Freund made this clear on Tuesday ahead of the DFB-Pokal replay in Osnabrück, ending speculation about a potential departure for the 27-year-old.
What did Christoph Freund say about the transfer rumours?
Christoph Freund, the sporting director of the German record champions, addressed the ongoing rumours at the press conference at Säbener Straße. "There is nothing acute with Hiroki at the moment," said Freund. He continued: "I have also read the rumours, but as of now – there is nothing to them. We are basically planning for Hiroki to stay with us." This statement, reported by Bild, marks a clear shift. As recently as late July, Max Eberl, 52, had spoken publicly about a potential departure for the defender.
The transfer deadline in Germany remains open until 20:00 on Deadline Day. The decision to keep Ito underscores the club's current planning. The Japanese international joined Munich from VfB Stuttgart in the summer of 2024 for a transfer fee of around 23 million euros.
What is Hiroki Ito's current situation in the squad?
Hiroki Ito has not played any minutes for Bayern this season. He missed both the Supercup in Dortmund and the Bundesliga opener against Stuttgart. This is also due to his injury history. In February, the centre-back suffered a muscle tear. During his career, he has also had to deal with three metatarsal fractures.
Despite this, Ito has made 31 appearances for Bayern. In the current squad depth, he is an option for the centre-back position, where Min-jae Kim, Jonathan Tah and Dayot Upamecano are also available. For the left-back position, manager Vincent Kompany has further alternatives in Alphonso Davies and the young Nathaniel Brown, known as Nene. The complete squad overview can be found on our squad page.
What does the decision mean for the defence?
The clear statement from Christoph Freund ends the uncertainty surrounding the Japanese player's future in Munich. For the defensive department, this means planning security beyond the Deadline Day. Ito brings Bundesliga experience and knows the demands of German football from his time at Stuttgart.
His retention gives the coaching team another option in central defence, especially in a season with many competitive matches. The team must compete in the Bundesliga, the DFB-Pokal and the Champions League. You can follow the current league standings on our standings page.
What is next for Bayern Munich?
The immediate task for Bayern is the DFB-Pokal replay match. They face VfL Osnabrück on Wednesday at 20:45. The match will be broadcast live on ARD and Sky. This game offers an opportunity to get back on a positive track after the disappointing Bundesliga start.
For Hiroki Ito, this cup match could be a chance to regain match fitness after his injury and stake a claim for further appearances. The coming weeks will show what role he plays in Vincent Kompany's plans. All upcoming fixtures for the team are listed on our fixtures calendar. The next Bundesliga match takes place this weekend.
