Given the recent appearance for Grayson Dettoni with the Bayern Munich first team vs. Red Bull Salzburg, we thought it would be good to re-release this post…
Bayern Munich youth player Grayson Dettoni recently inked a new deal with the club that will keep him in Germany for another two seasons.
The United States native previously corresponded with BFW and once again took time to chat with us about where things stand on several topics including his new contract, next season, international play, and more!
BFW: How has life been since we last corresponded over the winter? How did the rest of the season go for you?
Dettoni: “Everything has been great since the winter break. After receiving feedback from the coaches in January at my midseason check in, the rest of the season went very well for me and I definitely used it to my advantage. I was injury-free and felt very strong.”
BFW: Were you expecting a new deal and how did the process work for you? Was it easy to get done?
Dettoni: “Because my contract was ending In late June, I was looking at many options within Germany and greater Europe. I recently got my Italian citizenship which means I can play anywhere and it opens up the whole world to me. But after my strong second half of the season, Bayern followed my progress and were excited for me to stay and renew my contract for another two years. The process of renewing a contract takes a very long time and we waited for months. It requires a lot of patience! I just had to keep my head down and play strong and consistently. I knew if it was meant to be, it would happen. I felt good and confident about my performances and I just had to trust the process.”
BFW: How big of a deal is this for you? To be at Bayern Munich at your age and to clearly have made an impression on the club has to be an awesome feeling.
Dettoni: “This is a HUGE deal for me. The U-19 years are considered ‘pro’ years and the most important years of development. I’m at one of the biggest clubs in the world and I’m very honored to be there another two years.”
BFW: What are some of the areas of you game that you’ll seem to improve on heading into next season?
Dettoni: “For my position, I need to be more aggressive and more vocal. I need to stand out and be a leader on the pitch. These are all qualities of a strong center-back and these areas constantly need to be crafted every year since this is an important role in the squad.”
BFW: Has playing with Bayern Munich opened up any doors for you with U.S. Soccer?
Dettoni: “Unfortunately, U.S. Soccer has not reached out to me. I have been at Bayern for five years now and it’s something that I would love to do. I would really enjoy representing my country in this way and hopefully I will get a chance to do that at some point. As I said before, I just got my Italian citizenship, so that opens up another door for me. Obviously, the U.S. would be my first choice but I would love to learn from the Italians.”
BFW: What are your plans for the break?
Dettoni: “I finish up my school exams on June 8th and I’ll go on holiday for two weeks with my family. We have the entire month of June off from football and I’ll use this time to travel here in Europe and get stronger. I’ll be actively preparing for the new season. The U-19 physical trainers have already sent us a training regimen for this month geared to every players strengths and weaknesses. Just different areas of their physical form that they need to hone in on. The official U-19 season starts on June 29th. I’m really looking forward to an awesome new coach and to be back with my teammates. I’m super grateful for the opportunity!”
Dettoni’s rise through the ranks at Bayern Munich is something to keep an eye on. With a grounded attitude and strong will to succeed, Dettoni seems poised to continue his ascent and put in the work necessary to achieve his goals.
If you missed our first interview with Dettoni, check it out here.
