FC Bayern may be set to fundamentally rethink its transfer strategy. Following the German national team’s World Cup exit, the club’s long-standing preference for DFB stars is apparently under internal debate.
For a long time, the German record champions followed a clear principle: as many German national team players as possible should form the backbone of the squad. The catchphrase for this was “FC Bayern Germany.”
As reported by *kicker*, this approach could soon be deemed “outdated” internally at Säbener Straße.
The reason lies in the reality of the sport. For quite some time now, most German professionals have no longer been true game-changers at the top international level. Even at FC Bayern, three players—Harry Kane, Michael Olise, and Luis Diaz—are setting the tone, and none of them are German.
German Debacle with Bayern Block
The recent tournament lends additional weight to the potential course correction. The German national team was eliminated in the round of 32 at the World Cup in Canada, the U.S., and Mexico by underdog Paraguay—the latest debacle for the DFB.
The World Cup roster included several Munich players: Manuel Neuer, Joshua Kimmich, Aleksandar Pavlovic, Jonathan Tah, Jamal Musiala, and new signing Nathaniel Brown were all part of the squad. Added to that was Leon Goretzka, whose contract with FC Bayern, however, expired on June 30 and, as is well known, was not renewed. The 31-year-old is one of seven players confirmed to be leaving this summer.
On the transfer market, Bayern has so far signed one international star and one German national team player. They secured Moroccan Ismael Saibari, who is currently shining at the World Cup. 50 million euros were paid to PSV Eindhoven for the 25-year-old.
At the same time, however, the German contingent in the squad has also grown. FC Bayern also paid around 50 million euros to Eintracht Frankfurt for Nathaniel Brown. The 23-year-old left back showed at the World Cup that he could be a valuable addition, and given his young age, he still has plenty of room to grow. The list of new signings was rounded out by the return of talented midfielder Noel Aseko from Hannover 96—though he could still be sold on to Frankfurt.
It remains to be seen whether the internal debate over “FC Bayern Germany” will actually lead to a change in strategy. One thing is certain: for the first time in a long while, FC Bayern is fundamentally discussing its focus on DFB players.