This bad season for Bayern Munich will leave its mark, and for a long time. The probable end of 11 years of unchallenged reign over the Bundesliga will have profound consequences on the functioning of the club. In addition to the departure of Thomas Tuchel at the end of the season, if not before, changes will take place at all levels. While waiting for the identity of the future coach, the arrival of sports director Max Eberl goes in this direction. But this is not a simple palace revolution. The entire structure of the club, its general policy and its paradigms are in the process of being reviewed in the long term, which Sports Bild echoes this Friday.
“The biggest challenge for FC Bayern is to remain competitive at the highest level internationally, because the financial possibilities of clubs are significantly greater, especially in England, but also in Spain and other countriessays the Bavarian president, Herbert Hainer, to the German daily. To achieve this we have to be creative, be alert and at the same time we have to maintain our identity as a club: succeed, live our values, always have the fans at the center of our concerns and stay true to what the club is all about. FC Bayern. This is what has made this club so unique in the world of football for decades.”
Bayern will let go of the horses in the transfer window
After the short sentences, it’s time for the concrete. To once again reign on the national scene and compete with its European competitors, the Bavarian giant is banking on its economic power. Its revenues have never been as high as during the 2022/2023 financial year with a turnover of €854.2 million, and a pre-tax profit of €35.7 million. Not accustomed to big transfers, Bayern broke with this model last summer. Its very good economic results have enabled an effort to be made on the arrival of Harry Kane, recruited for €100 million from Tottenham. This should be the case again from the next transfer window.
The new format of the Champions League put in place at the start of the school year will generate even greater revenue. That’s not all. FIFA also created its new Club World Cup in a 32-team format. The first edition will take place from June 15 to July 13, 2025 in the United States and promises at least €60 million per participant. Bayern already has its ticket, and its almost undivided domination in Germany ensures its almost certain presence at each edition, every two years. The gap with its domestic rivals risks widening further in the long term. This is the desired objective.
Purpose Finale Dahoam in 2025
Who says big transfer, also says increase in payroll. This causes some concern within the board after decades of sound management, but it is the risk to take to build a competitive team. No name of leading player is given by the media, but Bayern will no longer hesitate to pay stars a high price, as do the big English clubs or even PSG and Real Madrid. According to Bild, the renovation work on the training center was even delayed (to the end of 2024) to return this money to the transfer window. We are still talking about €100 million.
The Recorder wants to return to the forefront and the sooner the better. Three times quarter-finalist in a row in the Champions League, the club knows that it will be difficult to do much better this season. From 2025, it is Finale Dahoam which is targeted, a Bavarian expression meaning “at home” since the final will take place at the Allianz Arena, as in 2012. It could be a career end in apotheosis for Thomas Müller and Manuel Neuer, both at the end of their contracts in 2025 and the last survivors of this defeat on penalties against Didier Drogba’s Chelsea. We’re not there yet.
A desire to integrate the many young talents into the team and to rely on former glories in management
We must prepare the new generation and in this regard, Bayern no longer hesitates to recruit those who are young and expensive. The talented Jonah Kusi-Asare (16 years old) was brought back from Sweden for €5 million for example. The transfer of Mathys Tel from Stade Rennais for €20 million, and its recent extension, are part of this policy. Others present at the training center are waiting for their turn such as Aleks Pavlovic (19 years old), Frans Krätzig (20 years old, on loan to Austria Vienna) and the most experienced Josip Stanisic (23 years old on loan to Bayer Leverkusen). With Maximilian Hennig (17), Kurt Rüger (18), Robert Ramsak (17) and Max Schmitt (18), Bayern also has four U17 world champions, but the last two are on their way to joining the RB Leipzig.
Finally, and we already mentioned this at the start of the article, the organization chart will evolve. Calm has returned after the stormy departures last year of Oliver Kahn and Hasan Salihamidzic. Hainer and his deputies were re-elected until 2025 and are expected to continue their mission beyond that date. They were confirmed by the supervisory board. In the future, new faces will appear. As is often the case, it is the old glories that take over. The names of Bastian Schweinsteiger (39 years old) and Philipp Lahm (40 years old), the latter being director of Euro 2024, come up regularly. Even Manuel Neuer (37 years old) and Thomas Müller (34 years old) are mentioned in a slightly more distant future.
