Frank Briel, Hoffenheim’s director, believes Bayern Munich’s transfer policy specifically targets rivals’ academies.
Briel claims that Bayern Munich have implemented an aggressive transfer policy in order to sift through their peers’ academies to unroot hidden gems.
The Hoffenheim chief revealed this at the announcement of the club’s annual financial figures, stating: “It is worth discussing, at least from a solidarity point of view, that Bayern are now actively involved in the talent-poaching business with a turnover of three-quarters of a billion euros.”
Hoffenheim Director Slams Bayern Munich Transfer Policy
Not the First Complaint
In April this year, Hoffenheim’s sporting director, Alexander Rosen, bemoaned Bayern’s conduct when signing 17-year-old Armindo Sieb. Rosen claims Hoffenheim never gave permission for Sieb to conduct a medical. Sieb even skipped a training session to attend the medical at Bayern, without informing Hoffenheim.
He is not the only Hoffenheim youngster that Bayern have successfully lured away. Seventeen-year-old Gambian-born Mamin Sanyang has also joined the German giants. Yet, Hoffenheim are not the only ones losing players, with VfL Wolfsburg losing 19-year-old striker Lenn Jastremski to Bayern, alongside, 16-year-old Luxembourgish striker David Jonathans from Swift Hesperange.
Is Change Coming?
The signing of Lucas Hernandez heralded a shift in the transfer policy at Bayern Munich. The transfer fee of £68 million almost doubled Bayern’s previous highest-paid fee. The hierarchy of Bayern Munich decided to shift the focus of transfers to young players. Realising the overspending of other European giants is not sustainable, Bayern’s transfer policy is now directly targeting their rival’s young prospects.
The aggressive transfer policy implemented by Bayern Munich is hoovering up plenty of young talent. The club is so dominant in the Bundesliga, it is easy to see why young players are jumping at the chance to join them.
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