Bayern Munich chief Uli Hoeness insists the summer transfer window has been a success for the club despite them missing out on Germany international Florian Wirtz.
Wirtz joined Liverpool in a move worth up to £116million, after the likes of Bayern and Real Madrid explored a move earlier in the summer.
22-year-old Wirtz caught the eye with his performances with Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga. Despite Bayern Munich favourites to sign him, Hoeness admitted they were priced out of a deal by Liverpool’s spending power.
Florian Wirtz joined Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen this summer. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
“We’re very satisfied at FC Bayern,” Hoeneß told German media (via the Echo). “We are the real winners of the summer transfer window. We have a strong team and didn’t need to strengthen it much. Of course, we would have liked to have Florian Wirtz, but we’d never have bought him for €150million (£130million).
Liverpool weren’t the only ones to outbid Bayern for a summer target. Wirtz’s fellow Germany international Nick Woltemade ended up at Newcastle despite earlier suggestions he would move to the Allianz Arena, and Hoeness took aim at the Magpies after they blew the Bavarians out of the water.
“We offered €55million (£47.7million) for Nick Woltemade, while Stuttgart wanted €75 million (£65million),” he said. “In the end, he went to Newcastle for €90m (£78million). “What Newcastle are doing has nothing to do with football. It’s like Monopoly these days”
Despite missing out on these players, Bayern made a number of senior signings during the summer window. Luis Diaz and Jonathan Tah joined permanently, while Nicolas Jackson has arrived on loan from Chelsea.
The Bundesliga champion spent around £75m on their permanent and loan deals, while recouping a similar sum through sales. Mathys Tel joined Tottenham permanently after a spell on loan, while Kingsley Coman’s Al-Nassr switch was one of the other high-profile exits.
