Borussia Dortmund and Youssoufa Moukoko are reportedly close to agreeing terms on a new deal, dashing the hopes of Manchester United and others that they might be able to acquire him on a free next summer.
Moukoko is one of the most in demand young forwards in world football, hitting six goals and four assists from just 14 Bundesliga games this season before turning 18 at the World Cup with Germany this winter.
But, unusually for Dortmund, his contract has been allowed to wind down.
READ: Chelsea target Moukoko hits back at Dortmund contract rumours
Dortmund have sold Jadon Sancho and Erling Haaland to Manchesters United and City respectively in consecutive summers for a combined €145 million, and hope to get almost as much for Jude Bellingham at the end of the current campaign.
But the possibility of selling another nascent star at the height of their market value seemed to have passed them by with Moukoko… until now.
Two amazing finishes from Moukoko
The kid is special 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Z6kROKEVWm
— Football Transfers (@Transfersdotcom) November 5, 2022
‘Contract extension very likely’
“Months of poker over Youssoufa Moukoko’s future are coming to an end,” report Sky Germany. “There was a breakthrough in the negotiations in Marbella between BVB and Moukoko’s agent Patrick Williams: both parties have come closer.
READ: Moukoko lifts lid on contract talks and reveals dream club
“An extension of the national player’s contract, which expires in the summer, is now very likely.”
Moukoko is understood to be ready to sign a new four-year contract which will see him earn a basic salary of €3 million a year which can climb to €5m with bonuses. He will also receive a €10m signing-on fee.
Mookoko’s new contract would take him above Jude Bellingham, Thorgan Hazard and Julian Brandt in Dortmund’s pay scale, but he would remain far from their best paid player – that honour going to Niklas Sule who signed an €18.9m a year contract when he arrived on a free from Bayern Munich last summer.