Bayern Munich complete club-record €80m Lucas Hernandez signing

The France international joins compatriot Benjamin Pavard in agreeing a move to the Allianz Arena ahead of the 2019-20 season

Posted Thursday, March 28, 2019 by Goal.com

Bayern Munich have completed a club-record €80 million (￡68m/$90m) deal to sign Atletico Madrid defender Lucas Hernandez.

The full-back, who was part of the France team to win the 2018 World Cup, has signed a five-year contract with the Bundesliga champions having completed a medical over the international break.

He becomes the second defensive reinforcement to have agreed to join Bayern this summer, with international team-mate Benjamin Pavard also on his way to Bavaria from Stuttgart after a €35m (￡31m/$40m) deal was agreed in January.

"Today is a very important day in my football career," Hernandez said in a statement released by his new club. "Bayern Munich is one of the best clubs in Europe and the world. I am proud to be able to fight for all titles for Bayern in the future.

"I would like to thank Atletico, the management, the coaches, my team-mates and the fans for a wonderful 12 years. Atletico will always be part of me. Now I'm happy that I'm taking the next step at Bayern."

Hernandez leaves Atletico having formed a key part of their defence under Diego Simeone in the Spanish capital.

Since making his debut for the Rojiblancos in 2014 he has made 110 appearances for the club, though he will play no further role for Simeone's side this season as he requires knee ligament surgery.

"In our sports medical examination, we found damage to the inner ligament of the right knee, which must be repaired surgically," Bayern club doctor Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt revealed.

"In my experience, Lucas Hernandez will be available to FC Bayern for the start of the 2019-20 Bundesliga season."

Hernandez, who can also play at centre-back, has made 15 appearances for his country and played every match for Didier Deschamps' side as they lifted the World Cup for the second time in Russia last summer.

Bayern Munich complete club-record €80m Lucas Hernandez signing

"I am very happy that in Lucas Hernandez we have been able to sign one of the best defensive players in the world and a world champion," said Bayern sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic.

"Lucas can be used both in central defence and on the left of defence. In addition, Lucas will continue our tradition of outstanding French players and strengthen our team."

Hernandez's arrival continues Bayern's rebuilding project after an indifferent campaign for the giants of German football.

A sluggish start to the season under new manager Niko Kovac saw them slip behind Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga title race, though Bayern have since made up a six-point gap since the winter break and top the table on goal difference with eight matches to play.

In the Champions League, however, they failed to make the quarter-finals of the competition for the first time since 2011 following a last-16 defeat to Liverpool.

Those disappointments, combined with an ageing squad that is set to lose Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery this summer, means Hernandez is unlikely to be the last new addition to the Bayern squad ahead of next season.