An espionage scandal is rocking English soccer – and is also hitting FC Bayern hard. Southampton FC have been banned from the Championship play-off final, meaning that the Munich club are now facing a multi-million euro setback involving Daniel Peretz
An independent disciplinary commission confirmed a serious allegation against Southampton on Tuesday, according to which employees of the club spied on the training sessions of their semi-final opponents FC Middlesbrough
As a result, the English Football League drew harsh consequences and excluded Southampton from the decisive promotion match at Wembley Stadium on May 23
Purchase obligation for Peretz threatens to fall through
Particularly bitter from FC Bayern’s point of view: if the Saints had been promoted, a purchase obligation for Daniel Peretz would have been automatically activated. The fixed transfer fee is said to be around eight million euros
The exclusion of Southampton means that this clause has now lapsed for the time being, which would be a serious financial setback for Bayern in the summer transfer window
However, there is still hope: Southampton have already lodged an appeal against the decision, according to the report
For Daniel Peretz himself, the development comes at an inopportune time. After difficult months at FC Bayern and an unsuccessful loan spell at HSV, the Israeli international keeper had finally found stability again at Southampton
The 25-year-old immediately established himself as a regular goalkeeper at the English second division club and gained regular match practice
For this very reason, a permanent move was recently considered likely
No more future at FC Bayern
Despite his positive development in England, a return to Munich hardly seems realistic at present
With Manuel Neuer, Jonas Urbig and Sven Ulreich, Bayern already have three goalkeepers for the coming season. Urbig is also seen internally as a long-term solution for the future
Although Peretz himself has not ruled out a return to Säbener Straße recently, he does not have any concrete prospects of playing time at the record champions
A permanent transfer to Southampton would have been all the more important – both in sporting terms for the player and financially for Bayern. Now everything depends on whether the English club will be successful with its appeal after all.