Real Madrid’s transfer strategy has always included monitoring the best young talents across Europe, and one name that has quietly remained on their radar is Bayern Munich’s rising star Lennart Karl.
The German teenager is regarded as one of the Bundesliga’s most promising creative prospects, and his situation has recently taken an interesting turn.
For months, it has been widely reported that Real Madrid scouts have been keeping tabs on the attacking midfielder.
However, according to fresh information from Mundo Deportivo, Bayern Munich have moved decisively to secure their gem’s future and protect him from any external interest.
The Real Madrid dream
Karl made headlines back in January when, during a casual visit to a Bayern supporters’ club, he openly admitted his admiration for Los Blancos.
He said, “One day I definitely want to sign for Real Madrid. That’s my dream club, but let’s keep it between us.”
Bayern Munich have extended Lennart Karl’s contract. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
The following day, Bayern’s sporting director Christoph Freund addressed the situation publicly, explaining that the youngster had apologised after realising the scale of the reaction.
Since then, Bayern have acted swiftly. Although not official, on his 18th birthday, Karl officially signed his first professional contract.
The new deal extends his stay until 2029 and includes a major salary increase. The teenager will now earn €2 million per season, approximately double his previous earnings.
Yet the German champions are not stopping there. Reports suggest they are already preparing a further extension that could tie him down until 2031, alongside another salary review that may raise his annual wages to €7 million.
The intention is to remove any temptation and shut the door to potential approaches from Real Madrid.
Whether his childhood dream eventually becomes reality remains to be seen. For now, though, Bayern Munich are doing everything in their power to ensure that dream stays exactly that – a dream.