As PSG offer beckons, details on when relations between Bayern Munich and Lucas Hernandez broke down

According to a report from Sport1 journalist Kerry Hau, there was a clear timeline and reason why a contract renewal for Lucas Hernandez — which was once thought to be a mere formality — might have fallen through at Bayern Munich.

We covered the initial story here, but many fans have been left wondering how things fell apart so quickly. Per Hau, it might have been a situation where things built up over the past few months:

If FCB had submitted a concrete offer immediately after the injury/World Cup, the extension would have been long since over.

From the club side there was still great confidence that the deal would be completed before the end of the season. It was said a month ago that only details had to be clarified. Now the turnaround because of the attractive PSG offer. exit open. Tuchel hopes Hernández stays.

In addition, Hau is reporting that Bayern Munich was only going to match Hernandez’s current salary and not give him a raise — something that PSG is more than willing to do:

Despite his injury record, Bayern would be willing to extend Hernández’s contract with the same salary. PSG are able to offer him a pay rise. Should he push for a move, Bayern would have to sell him to generate a fee. No final decision. All options are on the table.

Realistically, Bayern Munich made a prudent decision to wait on diving into negotiations. Hernandez has a lengthy injury history (the Frenchman has missed 81 games and 754 days of activity during his career due to injury, including 65 games and 481 days of activity with Bayern Munich alone per Transfermarkt) and did suffer a major knee injury. It is not as if most clubs would eagerly jump into negotiations after a sometimes brittle defender suffered a torn ACL.

There might be many reasons to complain about decisions that Bayern Munich made over the course of the season, but taking a conservative approach to contract negotiations for a player who just endured a massive knee injury is not one of them.