Bayern sign Zvonarek and two others to professional contracts

FC Bayern München campus products  Lovro Zvonarek (19), Noël Aseko Nkili (18) and Adam Aznou (17) were all signed to their first professional contracts on Wednesday afternoon. Zvonarek and Aznou signed until summer 2027, Aseko Nkili until 2026. Zvonarek - the oldest and most developmentally advanced of the trio - was handed a start by FCB trainer Thomas Tuchel against Wolfsburg on Sunday. The Croatian youth international took all of four minutes to score his maiden Bundesliga goal. 

Aseko Nkili has become a regular fixture for the Bayern reserves in the Bavarian Regionalliga this season. The Berlin-native featured under Tuchel in a January friendly. Aznou too has featured for FCB II this year and has also represented his heritage country of Morocco on the highest youth level. Aznou plays as both a left winger and fullback. Aseko Nkili is primarily a defensive midfielder. The former Hertha academy man of Equatorial Guinean heritage has been capped 16 times at Germany U18 level and below. 

"Lovro Zvonarek, Noel Aseko Nkili and Adam Aznou are young players with a lot of potential," FCB sporting director Christoph Freund noted in a statement accompanying the news, "The fact that we can now offer three more talented players professional contracts speaks volumes for the work at our FC Bayern Campus. We will continue to support the three of them closely on their next step. They have everything they need to make their way."

FCB campus director Jochen Sauer also expressed confidence that all three youngsters "have what it takes to assert themselves with our professionals in the long-term". Other FCB campus products Matteo Vinlöf and Jonathan Arp Jensen were also allowed to make their professional debuts by Tuchel in Sunday's league fixtures. It's possible that more young prospects might feature against Hoffenheim in Sunday's season finale.