Neither the two top transfers nor the super talent Mathys Tel have played a competitive game. This also applies to Noussair Mazraoui and Ryan Gravenberch, who have been signed by Ajax Amsterdam. Spectacular: FC Bayern transferred up to 28.5 million euros to Stade Rennes for the 17-year-old Tel. Columnist Stefan Effenberg said in an interview with t-online: “Mané and de Ligt are top stars – Gravenberch, Mazraoui and Mathys Tel mega talents.”
Transfer minus is still growing
The negative side effect: The transfer minus will grow to 78.6 million euros this summer alone, after it had already been minus 194 million euros in the three years before. The refinancing isn’t the only beauty spot on the undoubtedly remarkable transfer offensive. So the question of why the Bayern bosses couldn’t manage a clean separation from Lewandowski remains unanswered. The Pole and his polarizing adviser Pini Zahavi had complained publicly several times.
Just the Lewandowski personnel shows, however, how Salihamidzic emancipated from mentor Hoeneß. A look back: Not only the famous fan Johannes Bachmayr had criticized an alleged favor of “Brazzo” at the annual general meeting in 2018, as honorary president Hoeneß calls the sports director fatherly. “The selection process, at least that’s what I read in the press, was a taxi ride in China – convincing,” said Bachmayr ironically. Hoeneß recently attracted attention again through public advice. As if the 70-year-old still wanted to set the direction.
“If you have no alternative (…) then I would definitely advocate, like everyone else in the club, that he stays for another year,” he said at the beginning of June on TV station Sport1 about the Lewandowski case. Nevertheless, Salihamidzic sold the goalscorer. The rumored transfer fee of 45 million euros plus bonuses was also considered a success. It is unclear how Bayern want to compensate for the sheer number of Lewandowski goals. Coach Julian Nagelsmann focuses on a 4-3-3, in which Sadio Mané and a duo consisting of the four-in-hand Serge Gnabry, Leroy Sané, Kingsley Coman and Jamal Musiala should attack without fixed positions.
Pressure because of the 50+1 rule
Does the plan work? Lewandowski scored an average of 29.75 goals per Bundesliga season. He delivered while the defensive was the weak point. Precisely because the two transfers from Lucas Hernández and Dayot Upamecano did not work as desired, Bayern had to step up their defense. Both Lucas Hernández (80 million euros) and Dayot Upamecano (42.5 million euros) were overwhelmed with the role of defense chief. The investments in Mané and de Ligt must therefore be profitable. What is striking: Ex-bosses Hoeneß and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge are putting increased pressure on the German Football League (DFL) because of the 50+1 rule, which limits the influence of investors. Because: There are hardly any sources to earn more money in the tens of millions.