Bayern buy smart in face of Premier League riches
As the Premier League has spent and spent, Bayern have kept a cool head and made subtle tweaks to address weaknesses within their squad this summer, rather than make extravagant, big money signings.
In Matthias Sammer, they have a transfer chief who is determined in his current role as he was as a player. He has been typically forthright in his attitude in the market this summer and recently pointed to the gulf in riches between English and German clubs.
Nevertheless, they remain the market leader in Germany and have addressed their need for competition in wide areas that became glaringly apparent towards the end of 2014/15.
Last season was a particularly frustrating one for Bayern. Despite winning the Bundesliga, the Champions League eluded them after a disappointing performance against Barcelona and they lost their stranglehold on the DFB Pokal, as they were beaten by Dortmund in the semi-finals.
On either flank, they were left exposed. Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben are creaking with age, with their already-fragile bodies unable to support the rigours of the club’s designs on dominance on all three fronts.
Douglas Costa, whose skills have dazzled in his early appearances for the club, has been brought in from Shakhtar Donetsk and has all the potential to develop into a superstar.
A more curious move is the two-year loan for Juventus starlet Kingsley Coman, with an option to make the transfer permanent, should he impress.
The French youngster was not the only man to arrive from the Italian champions. Arturo Vidal, who came so close to moving to the Allianz Arena four years ago, was signed after his victorious Copa America campaign with Chile.
The 28-year-old, along with youngster Joshua Kimmich, will add some steel to midfield. Signed from Stuttgart after two impressive years on loan at RB Leipzig, Pep Guardiola has gushed over the Germany youth international’s talent. While Vidal will look to dominate the centre of the park now, Kimmich is one for the future.
The least eye catching signing was a necessary one: Sven Ulreich arrived from Stuttgart to provide experienced back-up to Manuel Neuer.
It was also the end of an era at the Allianz Arena as Bastian Schweinsteiger was sold to Manchester United. His contribution over the last couple of years was limited by injury, but the Bavarians were perhaps guilty of selling him on the cheap as he moved to Old Trafford for €20 million.
Another hero from the treble winning team of 2012-13 to depart was Dante, who made his way to Wolfsburg for €5m. Again, Bayern arguably let him go cheaply, but as Sammer explained: “He wanted to have the chance to play regularly and we didn’t want to deny him that.” He had slipped to fifth choice in the pecking order.
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg will pick up more first-team experience during his loan spell at Schalke, which will do the young Dane the world of good, while Xherdan Shaqiri’s move to Inter in January swelled the club’s coffers by €17m.
All in all, Bayern have been typically efficient in the window. They have shelled out €86m and brought back in €33.5m. Two bona fide stars have moved to the Allianz Arena in Vidal and Douglas Costa and will improve the team’s quality in the short term.
But this summer will always be remembered as the one which saw Schweinsteiger leave Bayern.