€17m salary 

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What will happen to Kingsley Coman? With less than 48 hours left before the summer transfer window closes in Europe, Bayern Munich are still looking to offload the 28-year-old left-winger. At first glance, that development is a surprise. Coman not only scored the game-winning goal in the 2020 Champions League final for the club but also scored 64 goals and 66 assists in 296 games across all competitions for the club. 

Nonetheless, a move is now in the cards, with the most likely destination being the Saudi Pro League, but Arsenal, too, have shown interest ahead of Friday’s deadline. But why are Bayern pushing Coman out of the door in the first place? The answer is about money. According to Capology, Coman earns €17m a season. With director of sport Max Eberl and sporting director Christoph Freund tasked to slim down expenses, the Frenchman’s salary has become a major talking point. 

It’s a salary that stands out even more, given Coman’s injury history. A glance in the Transfermarkt database reveals that Coman has missed, on average, 16 games a season since joining the Bavarian giants in the summer of 2015. A track record that doesn’t seem to improve either, as Coman missed 21 games or 125 days with a total of five injuries last season. While there is no doubt that Coman is Bayern’s most effective two-way player, the large percentage of missed games means the club can no longer justify his significant salary.  

Saudi Pro League or Arsenal – What is next for Coman? 

The problem, however, is that the injury track record hasn’t been lost on major clubs either. Regardless, the Daily Mail reported on Thursday that Arsenal have explored a move for the 28-year-old winger. According to the report, Arsenal started considering a potential move after initial interest from Saudi Pro League team Al Hilal. The major obstacle for Mikel Arteta’s side, however, is cost. Coman’s salary and a potential transfer fee are a major issue. 

Arsenal are likely stretched to meet Coman’s Bayern salary, let alone what the Frenchman could potentially earn in Saudi Arabia. In fact, Bayern dumped their last big problem contract in Saudi. Last summer the Bundesliga giants offloaded Sadio Mané in a deal worth €30m to Al-Nassr. The window in Saudi Arabia remains open until September 6, but Al Hilal will have to sell a foreigner to make space for Coman first. The Mané deal might be the benchmark here as Bayern are unlikely to generate much more than the €30m earned by selling the Senegalese winger to Al-Nassr last year.

The other obstacle is Coman. Although injury-prone, there is no doubt that the winger remains one of the most impactful players in the world game. A regular for France and a starter for Bayern, the 28-year-old is still in his prime. Furthermore, Coman’s ability to score goals and create defensive stability simultaneously makes him an incredible asset. With that in mind, Coman could still do the job for a top team in a top 5 league, especially if he is willing to make a compromise on his salary.