From early on in the summer, Bayern Munich sporting board member Max Eberl was told by his higher-ups at the club that he must save money this transfer window.
We explained why that, in itself, is not wrong and why Bayern Munich must walk a tightrope financially, compared to most other top European clubs. At the same time, the way that the team have come out of this transfer period endangers the Bavarians’ sporting objectives this season.
Striker Harry Kane recently complained to the press that the squad is one of the smallest he has ever played in, while pushing the board to do more before the window closes.
Meanwhile, the higher-ups, namely Uli Hoeneß and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, have tied the board’s hands, saying that if new players do come in from now on, they would have to join on loan, rather than on permanent transfers.
That is why the deal for Chelsea man Christopher Nkunku has seemingly failed.
A Gap between Ambition and Investment
Bayern Munich always have lofty ambitions going into every season, expecting to win the Bundesliga, while also at least competing for the Champions League and German Cup trophies.
Last time they won the treble was in 2020, however. Since then, Bayern Munich have only reached the Champions League semi-finals once, while the best they did in the domestic cup afterwards was to reach the last eight on one occasion.
At the same time, Bayern Munich’s biggest strength compared to its continental rivals is its consistent financial health, which, of course, they are right to want to maintain to some degree, but there must also be more willingness to invest as well. This brings us back to the “tightrope” argument.
But what has happened so far this summer is not even a healthy compromise between finances and sporting needs. It was pure austerity, with the exception of the Luis Diaz transfer.
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Tug of War Between Generations of Leadership at Bayern Munich
As we hinted above, Hoeneß and Rummenigge are sabotaging the work that sporting board member Eberl and sporting director Christoph Freund are trying to do when it comes to transfers and other expenses.
The former duo are using their influence on club president Herbert Hainer’s advisory board to continue to shape the club they led so well for decades.
The problem is that now, Eberl and Freund are at least formally in charge, and they are frustrated by the manoeuvres of Hoeneß and Rummenigge time and time again.
It is a new era of football, which requires new ideas and new leadership. The old guard continue getting in the way of that, however.
This is precisely what is holding Bayern Munich back. Of course, this does not mean that Eberl and Freund should be able to spend recklessly and destroy the club that has been built for decades on financial discipline.
But it is highly unlikely that that is what they would actually do. Bayern need to continue to deliver on the pitch, which is simply untenable with a squad of this small size.
The first team has been supplemented by 17-year-old Lennart Karl, 18-year-old Jonah Kusi-Asare, and even 16-year-old Wisdom Mike. While these are bright young talents, they are not ready to seriously challenge for starting spots.
If and when this strategy fails, it will be Eberl, Freud, and especially coach Vincent Kompany who will have to pay the price; it will sadly not be their higher-ups. That is the tragic thing about this.
Main Photo
Credit: IMAGO / Nordphoto
Recording Date: 22.08.2025