Mané, de Ligt, Cancelo, the rumors about Ansu Fati: Bavaria is a much more important player on the market just a few years ago.
Deadline Day is over, the transfer market is closed. Of course, there are still daily rumours. One of the most interesting of the past transfer week: FC Bayern should be loud Mundo Deportivo keep an eye on FC Barcelona’s Ansu Fati. The fact that Munich is associated with such a transfer is another sign that the German record champions are now playing in a different transfer league than they were a few years ago.
Ansu Fati may be struggling at Barça at the moment, but one shouldn’t forget what a talent the 20-year-old actually is and what hopes are pinning on him. When Lionel Messi left the club, Barcelona awarded the Argentine’s legendary number 10 to Fati. His fixed transfer fee is no less than one billion euros. Of course it’s a formality in Spain, but it also shows the importance the Catalans gave to Fati.
FC Bayern more and more interesting for the really big names
The fact that Bayern have recently been mentioned more and more as a possible target for players of this caliber is mainly due to the work of bosses Oliver Kahn and Hasan Salihamidzic. Last summer at the latest, you showed that you are now playing for the really big names on the transfer market.
After the departure of Robert Lewandowski, very few expected that a top star like Sadio Mané would be brought in. As a new man for the defense Matthias Ginter was in discussion – instead it was Matthijs de Ligt.
The signing of João Cancelo in the winter transfer window was another such sensation. A sign of the strength of the Bayern bosses was also to get Yann Sommer at short notice after Manuel Neuer’s injury. Under Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Uli Hoeneß, Sven Ulreich would probably have been trusted in this situation.
FC Bayern: More willing to take risks than under Hoeneß/Rummenigge
In general, the Kahn/Salihamidzic duo has recently been significantly more willing to take risks in transfers than Hoeneß/Rummenigge in the past. And that’s the only way you have the chance to get players of this magnitude.
Of course, big names also played at FC Bayern under the old leadership. But the approach to transfers was different. Arjen Robben was considered an injury-prone ‘glass man’ before his move from Real Madrid. As a great talent, Franck Ribéry did not come from a top club, but from Olympique Marseille.
In the case of Hoeneß and Rummenigge, the current rumor about Fati would have been dismissed immediately: Too expensive, it only goes to the Premier League, no chance. With Salihamidzic and Kahn you have to think: Who would have believed a year ago that Mané, de Ligt and Cancelo would soon be playing at Bayern?
FC Bayern: Even CR7 was an issue
Even signing Cristiano Ronaldo was openly and seriously discussed in the summer. Superstar CR7 wanted to come to Munich, but in the end the club politely declined. That would have been unthinkable at Bayern a few years ago.
The club management is very aware of the importance of FC Bayern in the world of football. And this is further reinforced by every top transfer. Whether Ansu Fati ends up playing in Munich or not: the Bayern players around Kahn and Salihamidzic will probably bring more superstars to the Bundesliga in the future.
