English Premier League's transfer influence impacts Bundesliga.

In the world of football, the transfer market has become a battleground for Europe's top leagues, and the English Premier League (EPL) is leading the charge. The latest transfer window has seen a significant sporting exodus of players from the Bundesliga to the EPL, with clubs like Bayer Leverkusen, Stuttgart, and even Bayern Munich losing key players to their English counterparts.

Bayer Leverkusen's sporting director, Simon Rolfes, admits it's difficult to keep players in Germany when they fall in the EPL's grasp. This sentiment is shared by Bayern Munich's sports director, Max Eberl, who stated that they had to act financially far-sighted during the transfer period, preventing them from signing certain players. The financial power of EPL clubs, attracting many football professionals with large sums of money, has become a concern for the German football scene.

Florian Wirtz, a key player for Bayer Leverkusen, moved to FC Liverpool for up to 150 million euros, while FC Bayern Munich, despite their financial resources, could not retain Wirtz and Woltemade who moved to Newcastle United for up to 90 million euros. Other players who made the move include Nick Woltemade, Granit Xhaka, Xavi Simons, Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong, Benjamin Sesko, Jamie Gittens, Marvin Duksch, and Anton Stach.

The gap between the EPL and other top European leagues, including the Bundesliga, is widening significantly. The DFL is actively seeking additional revenues to match the financial power of the EPL. Axel Hellmann calls for regulatory measures in Europe, including the capping of transfer fees and player salaries, to "curb this madness a bit." Hans-Joachim Watzke, DFL supervisory board chairman, believes a salary cap is "inevitable" in the long run.

The EPL's financial dominance is also evident in the TV revenues. Promoted teams in the EPL receive revenues that can compete with the top 8 or even top 6 in the Bundesliga. This financial advantage gives EPL clubs a significant edge in the transfer market, with smaller English clubs having better chances on the transfer market than clubs elsewhere with European Cup ambitions.

The debate on how to remain competitive in the face of the EPL's financial power is not limited to Bayern Munich. Borussia Dortmund also signed players from English clubs, but neither Díaz nor the new Dortmund players are in the absolute top category. The coach of Bayern has called for a debate among the entire Bundesliga on this issue.

Uli Hoeneß has recently pleaded for the abolition of the "50+1" rule, which prevents a majority of investor votes in the capital companies of clubs. However, Hans-Joachim Watzke is not ready to sacrifice this rule yet. Alexander Wehrle, CEO of Stuttgart, called for greater "professionalization of the youth performance centers" to develop more top players within the Bundesliga.

The deadline day of the transfer window was a concern for the German football scene, with some questioning if the Bundesliga is becoming a training league for the EPL. As the transfer market continues to evolve, it remains to be seen how the Bundesliga will adapt to the financial power of the EPL and maintain its competitive edge.