Will FC Bayern fans have to get used to a new image in the near future? No big new stars and ultimately no more big titles?
With Dayot Upamecano, the record champions have only brought one seasoned player as a new signing, paying 42.5 million euros for the services of the French thanks to an exit clause.
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The 22-year-old central defender should play a key role under new coach Julian Nagelsmann, who also cost a double-digit million amount. With Omar Richards, a 23-year-old left-back also came on a free transfer from the English second division club Reading FC.
From Bayern’s point of view, much more should not happen in the summer unless further replacements are generated through player sales. The people of Munich have to save. The corona pandemic has left its mark on professional football, including the German series champions.
But not all clubs hold back on the transfer market. Paris Saint-Germain has already made three high-profile transfers. 60 million euros the Sheikh Club paid for Achraf Hakimi, Sergio Ramos and Georginio Wijnaldum also moved to the Seine. Both came free of charge, but were likely to collect a royal salary and hand money. The same applies to Gianluigi Donnarumma, whose move to the French is imminent.
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Salihamidzic: “Nothing can be done against some forces”
Uli Hoeneß is therefore concerned. “I thought that the big transfers would not happen this year. But when I see what PSG is spending, I get scared,” said the honorary president of Bayern EM Doppelpass on SPORT1. He added: “And now Chelsea want to spend 175 million on Haaland. We have to wrap up warm.”
Also the soon perfect transfer from Jadon Sancho, who will move to the Red Devils for 85 million euros plus possible bonuses, is a hint that the transfer market seems to be picking up speed again this summer.
But not with Bayern. “It’s not easy when you see what others are investing,” admitted sports director Hasan Salihamidzic at the press conference to introduce the two newcomers Upamecano and Richards on SPORT1-Demand. You yourself have to try “to be sexy in a different way”. But with a view to PSG and Co. he admitted: “There is nothing to be done against some financial strengths.”
Will the 2020 Champions League winner capitulate to international competition? One thing is clear: The record champions are expecting a loss of sales of 150 million euros this year, as President Herbert Hainer calculated a few days ago. In addition, important contract negotiations are pending with Leon Goretzka and Kingsley Coman. There, too, Bayern want to stay tough in case of doubt, as the example of David Alaba made clear.
Bavaria’s demands are not getting any smaller
Despite the financial situation, however, the demands have not diminished. “It is still our goal to show world-class football at FC Bayern. We want to be at the forefront internationally. We want to keep winning the Champions League,” said CEO Oliver Kahn a few days ago.
Despite a weaker squad, FC Bayern wants to continue to play in the theater of the great. One can also be successful with economic sense, emphasized Hainer. Kahn spoke of a lot of entrepreneurial thinking that was needed.
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Nevertheless, the quality of the Bayern squad is weaker on paper than in the previous season. With David Alaba and Jêrôme Boateng, two long-standing top performers went on the defensive, and Javi Martínez is no longer there as a defensive option.
Richards has yet to prove that he can reach the level Bayern demand. And he’ll have to do that right at the start of the season. Because with Lucas Hernández and Alphonso Davies, two possible candidates for the left-back position are injured for weeks.
Despite the bad injuries, no new transfers
For Salihamidzic, no reason to retrofit on the transfer market. “We are very well staffed, we have a lot of good young defenders who will take on the competition,” he said. You have to see that the two patients get fit again as quickly as possible. Salihamidzic expects a four to six week break at Davies, and Hernández is also expected to return in August. He therefore sees no problems. “Because of these injuries, transfers are not an issue.”
Instead of expensive newcomers, the record champions want to bring the youngsters closer to the professionals than was the case under Hansi Flick. “The campus will be an important factor for us in the future,” explained Kahn and also addressed a demand to Nagelsmann: “Julian is a very ambitious coach who also develops young players. We also want him to bring players forward, that we didn’t even have on our screen. “
Hoeneß is also optimistic despite the financial problems. “We have a kind of optimistic mood. The economic result will be very bad this year. But that gives the chance that a team will grow together. I can feel a new beginning at Bayern,” he explained EM Doppelpass.
This new beginning could be the chance for Bayern to actually integrate some of the much-praised young players into the professional team. The last player from their own offspring who made the leap to the pros in the long term was Alaba.
However, that does not mean that the really big transfers will not happen in the future. If you have the financial means, “we may also do crazy things,” said Salihamidzic a few days ago.
But until that happens, FC Bayern’s new course will apply. The fans will have to get used to that for the time being.
