Aleksandar Pavlovic has signed a contract extension which will keep him at Bayern Munich until 2029.

Pavlovic's current contract was due to run out in 2027, but the club have chosen to trigger a two-year extension.

The 20-year-old enjoyed an impressive breakout campaign in 2023-24, in which he made 22 appearances in all competitions, scoring two goals and providing two assists.

Pavlovic joined Bayern as a seven-year-old and was handed his debut for the first team in November last year when he came off the bench to assist Harry Kane in a 4-0 victory.

His club form earned him a call-up to Germany's squad for Euro 2024, but he was forced to withdraw after coming down with tonsillitis days before the opener against Scotland.

"Unfortunately, this tonsillitis has denied me my dream of playing in the European Championship on home turf, which is very disappointing – but I'm thrilled that my contract with FC Bayern has been extended until 2029," Pavlovic said.

"It shows the club has trust in me, which I'm eager to repay. FC Bayern is my home. I'm proud, happy and grateful, want to win trophies with the team and continue my personal development."

Pavlovic made 19 appearances in the Bundesliga this season, winning 15 of those, with the team scoring 54 goals in the process.

In the 15 games that the midfielder missed in the league, Bayern won just eight times, conceding 14 more goals.  

Theo Hernandez refused to disclose whether his future remains with Milan amid links to Bayern Munich, as the France international places his full focus on Euro 2024.

Defender Hernandez, brother of Paris Saint-Germain's Lucas, has reportedly drawn interest from Vincent Kompany's Bayern as the Bundesliga giants aim to bolster their defence.

The 26-year-old continues to impress for the Serie A side, who appointed Paulo Fonseca as Stefano Pioli's success this week, despite Milan finishing well behind rivals Inter in the 2023-24 campaign.

Unsurprisingly, his reliable form has led to speculation over his future in Italy, though Hernandez does not want to think about that ahead of France's Euro 2024 opener against Austria on Monday.

"Now I am 100 per cent focused on the Euros," Hernandez said on Saturday. 

"Whether I will stay at Milan or leave, we'll see about this afterwards."

Pressed on a potential return to Spain, Hernandez responded: "At the moment I'm not thinking about it yet."

Hernandez was a key figure for Milan once again in the season just past, with no defender scoring more than his five Serie A goals.

Only Inter's Federico Dimarco (11) bettered Hernandez's nine direct goal contributions in the league among defenders, too, as the pair prepare to compete at the European Championship in Germany.

France boss Didier Deschamps will be expected to utilise the attacking side of Hernandez's game once more as Les Bleus aim to go one better than at Euro 2016, when they lost to Portugal in the final.

"We are working to be at our best, this is a competition where there are very good national teams," he added. 

"We have made good preparations and now we feel the impatience to play this debut match. We have to get to the end like in the 2022 World Cup. There are many leaders in this group, and I am very happy to be here.

"We are working on various things. I like attacking, I love the offensive phase. With the coach we tried various situations.

"I made progress from a defensive point of view. When I arrived at Milan, I wasn't very good in defence. Now it's better, but I prefer to attack."

Bayern Munich have announced the signing of Hiroki Ito from Stuttgart.

The defender becomes the first signing under new head coach Vincent Kompany, signing a four-year contract to keep him at the club until 2028.

Ito joined Stuttgart in 2021, on an initial loan from Japanese side Jubilo Iwata, before making the move permanent the following year.

He made 97 appearances for Stuttgart in all competitions, including 29 in 2023-24, as he helped the club to a second-place finish in the Bundesliga and Champions League qualification.

"It's a great honour for me to be able to play for one of the biggest clubs in the world," Ito told the club website.

"Bayern is also a big name in Japan. I always gave my all for Stuttgart and am grateful to the club. Now I'm looking forward to the challenge in Munich and I want to play my part in FC Bayern winning lots of trophies.

"It was time to take a new step, and for me, Bayern is the perfect club to do so."

Bayern finished below Stuttgart in the Bundesliga last season in third, ending their run of 11 consecutive league titles, while falling at the semi-final hurdle in the Champions League.

Harry Kane believes the experience he gained playing for Bayern Munich last season has prepared him for Euro 2024 in Germany.

Kane made the move to Bayern from Tottenham in August last year, becoming the most expensive Bundesliga signing in history.

He enjoyed an impressive maiden season in the German top-flight, scoring 44 goals in 45 matches across all competitions.

Kane acknowledged how his time at Bayern has improved his game and given him valuable experience going into the tournament.

"It's been an incredible experience," Kane told UEFA.com.

"I think playing for a club like Bayern Munich can only improve you and only push you to another level because you're under huge pressure to be successful in every game and I think the standard of players, and the quality of coaches, you know, it's just a really high level, and I’ve really enjoyed that.

"And I just think playing, for me personally, it was time to play in different stadiums against different teams, and I've really enjoyed that experience.

"Some of the atmospheres here have been some of the best I've ever played in. So, I'm loving that part and I expect the games in the Euros to be the same as well."

Kane is set to become the first player to captain England at four major tournaments when he leads them out against Serbia on Sunday.

As the Three Lions' all-time top-scorer with 63 goals, Kane is set to be one of their key men once more, but he believes the team have earned the right to be labelled as one of the favourites.

"Being England captain and leading the boys out is probably the highest privilege I can have as a player, and I'll never take that for granted.

"That feeling is truly one of a kind. It's an honour to do it for a fourth time. We've had a semi-final, a final and a quarter-final, so I'm hoping we go to the very end and go on and win.

"I think this squad is one of the best, if not the best, we've had, going on form and the domestic seasons a lot of us have had.

"I hope that the guys can lean on me and ask me questions, and if I can help them get through anything, then great. But we have such a good togetherness, we're always talking or having dinner together and there's always conversations being had, so that helps us."

After their opening fixture, England will play Denmark and Slovenia in their other group games.

Florian Wirtz says now is not the time to discuss his Bayer Leverkusen future, as he prepares to lead Germany's bid for Euro 2024 glory on home soil.

Wirtz has emerged as one of the most highly rated attacking midfielders in world football, starring for Xabi Alonso's team as they went unbeaten to become Bundesliga champions in 2023-24.

He was named Bundesliga Player of the Year after scoring 11 goals and adding 11 assists, also helping Die Werkself win the DFB-Pokal to make it a double.

The likes of Real Madrid, Manchester City and Manchester United have all been linked with a move for Wirtz, while German media reports claim he is Bayern's top long-term target.

Wirtz is under contract at the BayArena until 2027, though, and he will not contemplate his club future while Julian Nagelsmann's side prepare for next week's Euros opener against Scotland.

"Everyone knows my contract," Wirtz told Sky Sports in Germany. "It's not the moment to talk about it now. 

"I'm definitely having a very good time at Leverkusen, I feel good. In my head it's now 100 per cent about the European Championship. I don't care about anything else right now."

Wirtz has won 17 senior caps for his country, scoring his first international goal in an impressive friendly win over France in March.

Euro 2024 will be the fourth major international tournament to be hosted solely by Germany (or West Germany prior to unification).

They reached at least the semi-finals at the previous three, beating Johan Cruyff's iconic Netherlands side in the 1974 World Cup final and going out in the last four at Euro 1988 and the 2006 World Cup.

However, they have not won a single knockout game at a major tournament since Euro 2016. They suffered back-to-back group-stage exits at the 2018 and 2022 World Cups and were beaten by England in the last 16 at Euro 2020.

Vincent Kompany challenged Bayern Munich to bounce back from their 2023-24 disappointment, and wants to see which players are "most hungry to win again".

The Belgian was named Bayern's new boss on a three-year deal, replacing the outgoing Thomas Tuchel following a trophyless campaign at the Allianz Arena.

The Bavarian giants surrendered their 11-year grip on the Bundesliga title to Xabi Alonso's unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen, while Real Madrid defeated them in the Champions League semi-finals.

Kompany knows what it takes to respond in the face of adversity, with Manchester City coming up just short against the likes of Manchester United in the Premier League in between the four titles he won during his time with the Citizens. 

And he has urged his new squad to demonstrate that character and determination to get back in the winner's circle next season.

"We're in a situation now where, last year, we lost," he told reporters during his introductory press conference. 

"Having been in this position myself as well as a player, I know that this is when you react, this is where you see real winners come to life.

"I'm actually excited to start pre-season with them. I make no distinction; I just want to see which players are most hungry to represent this club next season and win again, and be successful.

Kompany's appointment earlier this week was widely reported as a surprise one, after he was unable to keep Burnley in the Premier League in 2023-24.

However, the 38-year-old insists he has already settled into his new surroundings.

"My mentality is that I never haven't ever worked for a top club in my head," he added. 

"A top club is the environment you create. It's the mentality you have towards your job in good and bad times, that's what defines working at the top level. It already feels like home."

Vincent Kompany admits "it's a great honour" to have been named Bayern Munich's new head coach, and is confident "success will follow" at the Allianz Arena.

The former Burnley boss has put pen to paper on a three-year deal with the Bundesliga giants, after succeeding the outgoing Thomas Tuchel.

Kompany's appointment is widely regarded as a surprise one, with the former Manchester City captain unable to keep Burnley in the Premier League in 2023-24.

Nevertheless, the Belgian now finds himself at one of Europe's biggest clubs, and cannot wait to get started.

"I'm looking forward to the challenge of FC Bayern," he told the club's official website. "It's a great honour to be able to work for this club - FC Bayern is an institution in international football.

"As a coach, you have to stand for what you are as a character: I love having the ball, being creative - but we also have to be aggressive and courageous on the pitch.

"I'm now looking forward to the basics: working with the players, building a team. Once the basis is right, success will follow."

"Vincent Kompany is the type of coach who fits in very well with FC Bayern's playing philosophy and identity," sporting director Christoph Freund added. 

"His teams want the ball, and want to play dominant and high-intensity football. He's a young, very ambitious coach with a lot of international experience.

"He has his finger on the pulse when it comes to the players and knows exactly what needs to happen on the pitch. He can and will give our team an enormous amount."

Departing Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel was unhappy with his team's lack of focus following their 4-2 loss at Hoffenheim on Saturday.

Bayern threw away a two-goal lead, condemning them to a third-place finish behind unbeaten Bayern Leverkusen and Stuttgart

After failing to win the Bundesliga title for a 12th consecutive season, Tuchel's side will also go without domestic or European silverware for the first time in more than a decade.

"We started really well, but then we had a string of individual mistakes," Tuchel said in a short press conference.

The coach is leaving Bayern after just over a year in charge after the club announced his departure in February. There had been talks to potentially reverse that decision last week, but no agreement was reached.

"In the second half we played well for 15 minutes, but then it was again a series of individual mistakes and loss of possession," Tuchel said. "We gave away a two-goal lead for a completely unnecessary and bitter defeat."

Despite a string of injury absences, Bayern were 2-0 up by the sixth minute but Hoffenheim scored four times, including an Andrej Kramaric hat-trick in the second half to turn the game around.

"It happens far too often, like that. It happened in Stuttgart where we conceded two late goals [for a 3-1 defeat]. In Heidenheim, the same [for a 3-2 loss]. Here the same. It just happens too often," Tuchel added.

"I have an explanation for that, but it is not for the public."

Bayern's Aleksandar Pavlovic, who is part of Germany's preliminary Euro 2024 squad, went off injured early in the match and will undergo further tests.

"He twisted his ankle. We will have to wait and see what the checks show," Tuchel said.

Bayern Munich squandered a two-goal lead to slump to a 4-2 loss at Hoffenheim courtesy of a second-half Andrej Kramaric hat-trick in Thomas Tuchel's final game.

Early goals from Mathys Tel and Alphonso Davies saw the injury-depleted Bavarians go 2-0 up by the sixth minute.

Hoffenheim, however, pulled a goal back through Germany international Maximilian Beier just two minutes later, with the hosts gradually taking some of the early pace out of the game.

Bayern's injury troubles were further compounded when they lost Aleksandar Pavlovic to injury in the 35th minute, and struggled to cope with Hoffenheim's threat in the second half. 

Kramaric then delivered a stunning 19-minute hat-trick with the Bayern defence in ruins, ending a disappointing season in third place with 72 points.

Bayer Leverkusen finished in top spot on 90 points. VfB Stuttgart finished runners-up on 73 with a 4-0 demolition of Borussia Moenchengladbach, while Hoffenheim finished seventh, in the Europa Conference League place. 

Data Debrief:

Thomas Muller made his 473rd Bundesliga appearance for Bayern on Saturday, drawing level with Sepp Maier as the club's record appearance maker in the competition.

Bayern failed to have a single shot on target in the second half, while Kramaric ran riot to subject Bayern to their worst league finish since 2011.

Thomas Tuchel has confirmed he will leave Bayern Munich at the end of the season after failing to reach an agreement with the club to stay on as coach after talks this week.

Tuchel took over last March and steered them to the Bundesliga title last season but Bayern will finish the current campaign without any silverware for the first time in more than a decade.

Bayern bosses had informed Tuchel in February he would not stay on for the last year of his contract and would leave at the end of the season.

But after several prospective successors, including Julian Nagelsmann, Ralf Rangnick and Xabi Alonso, decided to remain in their current jobs, Bayern turned to Tuchel to discuss the possibility of him staying on.

"This is the last press conference here. The February decision remains," Tuchel said on Friday.

"There were talks again with the club in the past week but we did not reach an agreement on a continued cooperation so we stick with the February decision.

"We did not agree but I won't go into individual points. That all happens behind closed doors."

The Bavarians, who travel to Hoffenheim on the last matchday of the season on Saturday, are battling to hold on to second place in the table and are two points ahead of Stuttgart.

They crashed out to third-tier Saarbrucken in the DFB-Pokal and were eliminated by Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-finals, ending the campaign without a trophy despite spending a league-record €100 million to sign striker Harry Kane.

"The decision for me to leave was taken in February so you can imagine that my head, after processing, was 1000% behind that decision," Tuchel said.

"There was the theoretical possibility of a 180 degree turn now and the initiative came from the club.

"The reasons why it did not happen, I don't know, are minimal. Maybe the reasons are not clear, also for the decision in February, but it is what it is." 

Bruno Fernandes is reportedly drawing interest from Bayern Munich and Saudi Arabian clubs but Erik ten Hag remains confident the midfielder will stay at Manchester United.

The Portugal international, who joined the Red Devils from Sporting in January 2020, is said to be attracting attention from numerous clubs in the Saudi Pro League.

Bundesliga giants Bayern are also reportedly weighing up their options in attempting to sign Fernandes, though under-fire Ten Hag expects him to remain at Old Trafford.

When pressed at Tuesday's press conference on Fernandes' future, Ten Hag responded: "It is the same question as last week. So I answered.

"The same answer. Now in all the years he was, he was a tremendously important player for Manchester United and creating the most chances across the Premier League.

"So many assists, so many goals. It's clear he's a very important player for us."

Indeed, since his debut against Wolves on February 1, 2020, Fernandes leads United for chances created (644), goals (79) and assists (63) across all competitions.

In the same period, the 29-year-old also leads the way among Premier League players overall in chances created, ahead of Kevin De Bruyne (519), Trent Alexander-Arnold (424) and Pascal Gross (388).

Though Ten Hag is keen to keep Fernandes in Manchester, Raphael Varane has announced his intentions to leave the Red Devils at the end of the current season.

Casemiro is also said to be of interest in Saudi Arabia, where clubs are reportedly targeting moves for the likes of Mohamed Salah, De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku.

Second-placed Bayern Munich beat Wolfsburg 2-0 with teenager Lovro Zvonarek scoring on his first start in their final Bundesliga home game of the season on Sunday as they eased towards the end of a trophy-less campaign.

Bayern have 72 points, two ahead of third-placed Stuttgart with one game remaining. Unbeaten champions Bayer Leverkusen, on 84, visit Bochum later on Sunday.

Four days after Bayern's Champions League semi-final exit to Real Madrid confirmed their first season without silverware in over a decade, the Bavarians put in a solid performance against the Wolves despite a string of changes to Thomas Tuchel's team.

They were missing striker Harry Kane, nursing a minor back problem, and were also without Serge Gnabry, who was injured in their defeat by Real, Leroy Sane and Jamal Musiala.

Zvonarek, the 19-year-old Croatian who had only made a handful of substitute appearances for the team, scored four minutes into his first start, drilling home for the lead.

Leon Goretzka doubled the advantage nine minutes later with the hosts quickly taking full control of the game.

Bryan Zaragoza also thought he had netted on his first league start for the Bavarians, but the 22-year-old Spaniard's effort was disallowed for offside.

The hosts took their foot off the gas with Tuchel's Bayern career coming to an end next week, a year earlier than his contract, after a disappointing domestic campaign that also included a German Cup exit to third-tier club Saarbruecken.

Data Debrief: Clean sheet for Neuer on landmark outing

Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer made his 500th Bundesliga appearance, 156 of those having come for Schalke and 344 for his current side.

The veteran stopper had two saves to make en route to becoming the fourth goalkeeper in Bundesliga history to reach that 500 mark, after Oliver Kahn (557), Eike Immel (534) and Uli Stein (512).

Departing Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel opted on Sunday to quietly slip into the changing rooms instead of joining his players to celebrate after the Bavarians beat Wolfsburg 2-0.

Tuchel will be leaving at the end of the season – a year earlier than his contract ends – following a disappointing campaign with no silverware.

The win came four days after Bayern's Champions League semi-final exit to Real Madrid confirmed their first season without a trophy in over a decade.

"These are the moments for the players," he said when asked why he did not join his squad who went in front of the Bayern ultras after their final home game of the season.

"I don't want to be in the spotlight there. That's for the team. I know that the cameras are there.

"I prefer to go in [to the changing rooms]. It is about the team. The fans are there for the team. They need to be celebrated."

There has been little to celebrate for Tuchel in his 14 months in charge, with Bayern having managed to win only the Bundesliga title last season after Borussia Dortmund slipped up on the final matchday.

He said he did not yet know what he would take away from his time at Bayern, who missed out on Bundesliga glory to Bayer Leverkusen this term.

"Last home game and what remains I don't really know," he said. "It will take some time to see what is left.

"It is a privilege to coach at this level. I came to win as many titles as possible. We did not succeed in that."

Second-placed Bayern Munich beat Wolfsburg 2-0 with teenager Lovro Zvonarek scoring on his first start in their final Bundesliga home game of the season on Sunday as they eased towards the end of a trophy-less campaign.

Four days after Bayern's Champions League semi-final exit to Real Madrid confirmed their first season without any silverware in more than a decade, the Bavarians put in a solid performance against the Wolves despite a string of changes to Thomas Tuchel's team.

Zvonarek, the 19-year-old Croatian who had only made a handful of substitute appearances for the team, scored four minutes into his first start, drilling home for the lead.

Leon Goretzka doubled the advantage nine minutes later with the hosts quickly taking full control of the game.

Bayern have 72 points, two ahead of third-placed Stuttgart with one game remaining. Unbeaten champions Bayer Leverkusen, on 84, visit Bochum later on Sunday.

Data Debrief: Clean sheet for Neuer on landmark outing

Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer made his 500th Bundesliga appearance, 156 of those having come for Schalke and 344 for his current side.

The veteran stopper had two saves to make en route to becoming the fourth goalkeeper in Bundesliga history to reach that 500 mark, after Oliver Kahn (557), Eike Immel (534) and Uli Stein (512).

Thomas Tuchel and Bayern Munich were left fuming after Matthijs de Ligt's contentious late strike was disallowed in their semi-final defeat to Real Madrid.

Bayern crashed out 4-3 on aggregate at Santiago Bernabeu after a dramatic double from substitute Joselu saw the hosts snatch victory to advance to the final on June 1.

Tuchel's side thought they had forced extra-time when De Ligt had the ball in the net, but the referee had already blown his whistle after the linesman raised his flag, so VAR could not intervene.

The replays showed that the original decision was closer than first thought, and the head coach bemoaned the lack of consistency after Madrid's second goal was awarded following a VAR review.

"I think it's pretty clear and there is no doubt that is against the rules of modern football," he said. "A disaster. An absolute disaster.

"With Real's second goal, they let the play continue. The clear rule is that the scene must continue. The first mistake was made by the linesman, the second by the referee."

Bayern had taken the lead through Alphonso Davies at the midway point in the second half, before Joselu's late intervention denied them a crack at a seventh title against compatriots Borussia Dortmund at Wembley.

De Ligt said the linesman had apologised to him after the game.

"[It is] very difficult. Of course, as sportspeople, we accept it," Tuchel said. "But it is a semi-final, it's not for two such mistakes.

"Everyone has to be at their limit. The referees have to be there as well. That is what we expect, so the apology does not really help."