FC Bayern appears to be taking a much closer look at Oskar Pietuszewski than previously thought. The Polish attacking player has long been considered an interesting prospect for the Munich club. It has now come to light that the record champions were reportedly on the verge of a multi-million-euro transfer last summer.
As Polish transfer expert Tomasz Włodarczyk reports, Bayern was prepared to activate the 18-year-old’s release clause of 60 million euros. Talks regarding a move are said to have been well advanced. Ultimately, however, the transfer did not go through.
The reason was apparently an injury to the winger that turned out to be more serious than initially thought. As a result, Pietuszewski missed preseason training. According to the report, Bayern decided not to go through with the planned transfer for the time being.
Bayern had two preferred candidates for the left wing
This new information is particularly interesting in light of Munich’s transfer plans at the time. According to Włodarczyk, two players were at the top of the wish list for the left offensive wing position that summer: Oskar Pietuszewski and Anthony Gordon.
However, the English national team player opted to join FC Barcelona. As a result, the Polish youngster apparently came even more into the spotlight of the German record champions.
Club officials were reportedly even prepared to invest a substantial transfer fee for Pietuszewski. At 60 million euros, the 18-year-old would have become one of the most expensive youth signings in the club’s history.
The fact that the deal ultimately fell through due to the player’s health issues does not, however, mean that the Munich club has given up on him.
Bayern scouts continue to monitor Pietuszewski
According to information from the Polish transfer expert, the 18-year-old remains a serious topic of discussion at Säbener Straße. Several German media outlets have also recently reported that Pietuszewski is a very hot transfer target for the German record champions.
Most recently, representatives from FC Bayern were reportedly even in attendance at the Champions League match between FC Porto and SSC Napoli to watch the attacking player in person.
However, Pietuszewski did not play in that match. As a result, the Munich scouts were unable to get a firsthand look at his performance at the international level.
For the youngster, the main priority right now is to regain his rhythm after his injury and get regular playing time.
Bayern’s future transfer plans could well depend on exactly that.
Will Bayern make another push next summer?
According to Włodarczyk, the topic could gain significant momentum again in the spring. However, this would require Pietuszewski to accumulate sufficient playing time by then and continue to advance his athletic development.
For FC Bayern, the Polish winger would primarily be a long-term investment in the offense. Despite his young age, he is credited with great potential.
The reported willingness to spend 60 million euros on him as early as last summer shows just how important the 18-year-old apparently was in Munich’s plans at the time.
It remains to be seen whether the record champions will indeed make a new push next summer. No concrete offer for the next transfer window has been reported so far.
One thing is clear, however: If Pietuszewski returns to regular playing time and impresses in the coming months, his name could quickly find its way back to the top of the agenda at Säbener Straße.