Friends, including Eberl, don their red pencils.
FC Bayern Munich is gearing up for an exciting new season, with significant changes in store for their squad. The Bavarian giants have made a series of high-profile transfers, key veteran departures, and strategic loan moves, all aimed at maintaining their position at the top of German and European football.
Key Incoming Transfers
The club has signed Colombian forward Luis Diaz from Liverpool in a deal worth up to €75 million, making him the third most expensive player in German football history. Diaz's contract will keep him at Bayern until 2029. Experienced centre-back Jonathan Tah has also joined from Bayer Leverkusen, while midfielder Tom Bischof has also been signed.
Multiple players have returned from loan or had loans extended, including Paul Wanner, who returns from Heidenheim to bolster midfield creativity. Other squad additions include Maximilian Bauer, Dion Beljo, Tim Breithaupt, Kyliane Dong, and Janis Blaswich from various clubs.
Key Departures
Club legend Thomas Müller has left after a distinguished career, expected to move to MLS. Leroy Sané has departed on a free transfer to Galatasaray, while Eric Dier has moved to Monaco on a free. Young talents like Frans Krätzig, Gabriel Vidović, and Adam Aznou have also left permanently. João Palhinha has joined Tottenham on loan, linking with Mathys Tel whose transfer was made permanent for €35 million.
Loan Deals
Bayern has arranged several loans for younger players to gain experience, including Bryan Zaragoza, Daniel Peretz, Arijon Ibrahimović, Maurice Krattenmacher, Lovro Zvonarek, and Tarek Buchmann. Notably, goalkeeper Daniel Peretz is expected to stay after the rejection of initial loan plans.
Ongoing Transfer Negotiations and Rumors
Stuttgart striker Nick Woltemade remains a target to cover for Musiala’s long-term injury, but negotiations with Stuttgart are difficult, creating uncertainty over this deal. Bayern is pursuing Matthijs de Ligt from Manchester United, but clubs remain far apart on terms, with Bayern’s sporting director maintaining a firm €50 million plus bonuses demand.
Other transfer rumors include attempts to sign or retain players like Christopher Nkunku and Denis Peretz, and the ongoing speculation around Alphonso Davies and Xavi Simons.
Squad Outlook
The squad will evolve with a mix of experienced signings and youth integrations post the exit of veterans like Müller and Sané. Bayern’s goalkeeping and defensive options are adjusting with the return of loan players and new transfers like Jonathan Tah.
Financial Considerations
The transfer balance is currently positive, with revenues of around 55 million and expenses of 72 million, resulting in a deficit of just under 17 million euros. If Kingsley Coman is sold, FC Bayern would make a profit. The red pen has been applied to salaries this summer, with three top earners (Thomas Müller, Leroy Sané, and Joao Palhinha) already let go.
FC Bayern has made significant progress towards reducing wage costs, which is one of their main goals for this summer. So far, FC Bayern has signed three new players (Díaz, Tah, and Bischof) who would rank in the middle of the Bavarian salary hierarchy. However, the potential transfer of Kingsley Coman to Al-Nasser and possible departures like Min-jae Kim could create new needs.
FC Bayern's total employee compensation for the 2023/24 season is 396.5 million euros. FC Bayern's President, Herbert Hainer, stated that they have achieved everything they wanted in personnel planning. However, the sporting leadership of Max Eberl and Christoph Freund cannot afford to rest on their laurels due to ongoing personnel planning.
Coman and Kim could still leave as top earners, potentially saving around 100 million euros per year. FC Bayern has shown impressive early form in test match victories against Olympique Lyon (2:1) and Tottenham Hotspur (4:0). Mathys Tel and Eric Dier's salaries have been saved.
The upcoming season for FC Bayern will kick off with the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup against VfB Stuttgart this Saturday. New additions to the team, including Jonathan Tah, Tom Bischof, and Luis Díaz, have so far convinced. The summer transfer window for FC Bayern Munich will close in three weeks. Uli Hoeneß warned about the club's high wage situation in an AZ interview in February. The majority of FC Bayern's expenses are directed towards professional players.
- With the addition of Luis Diaz from Liverpool, Jonathan Tah from Bayer Leverkusen, and Tom Bischof, FC Bayern Munich's squad will feature several new faces this season, as they gear up for the Premier League and other European leagues.
- The ongoing transfer negotiations with Stuttgart striker Nick Woltemade and Matthijs de Ligt from Manchester United, along with potential deals with Christopher Nkunku and Denis Peretz, indicate that FC Bayern Munich is still actively looking to bolster their squad during the summer transfer window.
