Just a few weeks ago, Uli Hoeneß had publicly expressed doubts about Max Eberl’s work. Now, a surprising about-face has followed. The honorary president of FC Bayern is now confident that the sporting director will have his contract extended. Several factors lie behind this change of heart, all of which have significantly improved Eberl’s standing with the record champions in recent times.
On the sidelines of the friendly match against FC Rottach-Egern, Hoeneß was asked how he assessed Eberl’s chances of a contract extension. His answer was unequivocal: “Right now, I believe: 100 percent!”
The statement is particularly surprising because, as recently as late May in *Der Spiegel*, Hoeneß had still spoken of “doubts” and rated Eberl’s chances of a new contract at merely “60 to 40.” Within just a few weeks, the honorary president’s view has apparently changed completely.
Transfers and sales have won Hoeneß over
As reported by BILD, the club’s activities in the transfer market so far have played a major role in this shift. Hoeneß expressly praised the early signings of Ismael Saibari and Nathaniel Brown, which were jointly spearheaded by sporting director Max Eberl, director of sports Christoph Freund, and head coach Vincent Kompany.
The 74-year-old was particularly impressed by Saibari: “I really liked the player from Morocco during the World Cup. I hadn’t really noticed him before. Our coach, Max, and Christoph raved about him in the highest terms. We were happy to approve the moves in the executive committee and advisory boards.”
Nathaniel Brown also received special praise: “With this young player from Frankfurt, we have a huge talent. Despite offers from England, he was determined to join FC Bayern, and I really like players like that.”
Looking back at the club’s activities so far, Hoeneß even spoke of a “perfect transfer window”—remarkable praise for Eberl and his team.
The honorary president also sees progress when it comes to sales. Although Munich has not yet been able to sell high-value players such as João Palhinha, Sacha Boey, and Bryan Zaragoza, Hoeneß pointed to the revenue already generated through several transfers.
“They were small sums, but in the end it added up to a pretty nice amount. We had a brief meeting this morning with Herbert Hainer and a few people from our supervisory board, and he reported that over 40 million euros have already been brought in.”
Eberl Takes a Clear Stance
The 52-year-old also took a clear stance on issues beyond Bayern Munich. Eberl sharply criticized FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s plans to sell stakes in World Cups to investors: “Honestly, I find it shameful! I’m ashamed that we’re even discussing such ideas in soccer.” He went on to say: “Even I, who’m at home in the world of soccer, find it repulsive!”
With this forthright communication, Eberl seems to be making a positive impression both internally and externally. While he often appeared reserved at the beginning of his tenure, he is now increasingly taking on a clear leadership role. Uli Hoeneß’s recent statements show that this development has not gone unnoticed by the supervisory board. There are therefore strong indications that Eberl’s contract will be officially extended by fall at the latest.