Thomas Müller, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Phillip Lahm are passé at Bayern. Where are the new Bavarian heroes? And why does none of the many talents make it to the professionals? Karl-Heinz Rummenigge looks jealous of Paris and Barcelona.
Art, math and sports theory were on the timetable in Orlando on Tuesday for FC Bayern’s young hopes. While the seasoned professionals of the record champion enjoyed their open day extensively in the pool or the table tennis table, Lennart Karl (17), Cassiano Kiala (16) and David Santos Daiber (18) hung about their school tasks.
“I got used to the double load,” said Santos Daiber on the club side. The burden on the square is limited anyway. The youngsters of FC Bayern, a total of seven in number, do not come to the train at the club World Cup.
Karl, Aznou & Co. – Bavaria talents outside
Only the highly gifted Lennart Karl was allowed to swirl with Musiala, Müller and Co. for a half -time opening game against Auckland City (10: 0). The 17-year-old from Markt Frammersbach is undoubtedly considered the greatest talent on the Bayern campus, but despite his 34 goals and eleven templates in the past U19 season, he is outside among men. The days when hopeful Bavarian own plants on Säbener Straße shot over year after year seems to be over.
Thomas Müller and Holger Badstuber with coach Louis van Gaal (from left to right)
Rummenigge misses the courage of van Gaal
Rummenigge “has always admired the” courage “of Louis van Gaal to set Youngsters like Thomas Müller, David Alaba or Holger Badstuber. He created the club with it,” said the former CEO in the “Welt am Sonntag”. These values should now be revived and exemplified among those responsible for sport, Max Eberl and Christoph Freund. However, instead of young people, the association still seems to be working on large and expensive solutions.
Role model PSG? Rummenigge warns of salary spiral
“You have to be incredibly careful that you don’t get a spiral during the salary structure, which is then difficult to control,” said Rummenigge: “Who has solved this in an exemplary manner in the past 24 months is Paris St. Germain.” The top club, which was all due by President Nasser Al-Khelaifi, has almost completely turned his philosophy upside down and was rewarded with the Champions League title in Munich just a year later. FC Barcelona with ex-coach Hansi Flick also impressed Rummenigge: “The club had greater financial problems. And Hansi made a virtue out of necessity.”
Ambitious savings plan of FC Bayern
This is how it should run at Bayern in the future. According to Rummenigge, the record champion brings a player “ideally” a player who makes it into the first team. ” According to Rummenigge, the sporty leadership would like to build a squad with 14 to 16 players who “earn at a very decent level”, plus four to six “at a lower level” and the rest should consist of “campus players”.
Woltemade transfer Instead of your own offspring
But what does the reality look like? After the departures of Leroy Sané and Thomas Müller, the obligation of Florian Wirtz and now the transfer of Nick Woltemade were only discussed instead of integrating their own youth.
For Lennart Karl, who is advised by ex-Bayern star Michael Ballack, the perspective, as is not too rosy for the other talents. This is also why speculation is already being carried out via a departure of the left foot in the summer of 2026, then his contract expires in Munich.
According to Tel, Zirkzee and Stiller: Bavaria also loses Karl?
For FC Bayern, Karl threatens a similar scenario as in previous years, when Mathys Tel, Joshua Zirkzee, Angelo Stiller or Malik Tillman (for various reasons) München and reopened elsewhere. With Paul Wanner, another “star of tomorrow” has now played into focus, but could be woven into a possible Woltemade deal to Stuttgart.
In Florida, Karl is primarily working on his secondary school leaving certificate. He states: “You shouldn’t lie to yourself, that doesn’t work in school.” And both Karl and FC Bayern will also have to be honest with the upcoming contract talks: there is currently no space for the next large Bavarian owner in Munich.
Source: BR24Sport on radio 03.07.2025 – 9:55 a.m.
