Karl-Heinz Rummenigge is sounding the alarm. In the face of exploding sums for player consultants, the long-serving FC Bayern CEO is calling for fundamental reforms in the transfer business. „We need reforms because things cannot continue on this scale – the way things are developing financially,“ said the 70-year-old in an interview with FIFA
For Rummenigge, one thing is clear: international soccer must act. FIFA, UEFA, clubs, leagues and advisors must „sit down at the table and talk to each other openly, honestly and correctly“. However, a complete ban on advisors, as recently brought into play by ex-Bayern sports director Matthias Sammer, is not a solution. „For me, that’s a nonsense story. You can’t abolish them. They are part of this business,“ Rummenigge clarified
„The influence is now outrageous“
The Bayern supervisory board member is particularly concerned about the growing power of consultants. „We are becoming more and more dependent on consultants – and the influence on players is now outrageous,“ he warned
Uli Hoeneß had also recently announced a tougher stance. We will „no longer put up with consultants alone determining how things go“, the honorary president emphasized. The contribution of agents is „increasingly disproportionate to the remuneration“
Rummenigge was even clearer when it came to the financial dimensions: „We now have payments to consultants for transfer spending that are – I would say – immoral.“ According to FIFA figures, consultants earned 1.37 billion dollars worldwide in the last transfer window. „This money is no longer in the soccer cycle, it’s gone,“ criticized Rummenigge
„Like a rat race“
The former world-class striker describes the current development on the transfer market as completely overheated. „We’re all a bit, I’ll call it ‚crazy‘ on the transfer market. It’s like a rat race that’s going on now,“ he said
Clubs are apparently prepared to pay almost any price to sign the players they want – or those they expect to be successful in the sport. It is precisely this spiral that is driving costs ever higher
For Rummenigge, one thing is clear: without structural adjustments, the market threatens to escalate further. The consultancy business cannot be abolished – but it can be regulated.