Jamal Musiala Breaks Silence on Shocking Chelsea Departure: "Why Not?" He Asked Himself
Jamal Musiala has revealed that his departure from Chelsea to join Bayern Munich at age 16 in 2019 was entirely his own choice.
Musiala was regarded as one of the most promising talents in England's youth development system during his time at Chelsea, playing alongside current Bayern colleague Michael Olise, and his departure from Stamford Bridge generated widespread online discussion and debate.
While Chelsea faced criticism for allegedly agreeing to transfer Musiala, the Bayern midfielder has clarified that he personally chose to turn down a professional contract offer in order to return to Germany—a decision that netted Chelsea merely £170,000 ($230,000) in compensation fees.
"Our departure from England to return to Germany wasn't something we had mapped out," Musiala explained to The Athletic. "I had recently completed my academic examinations and was content with my situation at Chelsea. However, when Bayern approached me, it simply felt like the right moment to embrace a new challenge.
"I understood Bayern's stature in world football and ultimately decided, 'Why not seize this opportunity—take the leap and see how things unfold'. I prefer not to dwell on potential setbacks in such situations. I'd rather have confidence in myself and follow my instincts."
Although Chelsea couldn't prevent his departure, Musiala's exit continues to be a painful topic for the club, as they've witnessed the creative midfielder develop into one of football's elite playmakers. He secured his Bundesliga debut within a year of joining Bayern and has now accumulated more than 200 matches for the German giants.
Musiala boasts five Bundesliga championships along with a 2019–20 Champions League victory and, amid intense speculation about a potential Premier League return, signed a fresh five-year deal with Bayern this year.
The recent summer saw him net three goals across four Club World Cup matches, though Musiala's tournament concluded unfortunately with a severe injury that's anticipated to sideline him for multiple months.