Premier League sets new transfer record; Bundesliga eliminated in competition

In a stark critique, Oliver Kahn, former CEO of Bayern Munich, has accused German football clubs of selling numerous top players to the English Premier League, amassing over €500 million in transfer fees. Kahn sees this trend as a structural problem with the German Football League (DFL), citing the requirement of a two-thirds majority for decisions as a barrier to bold decisions.

Kahn has also criticized the Bundesliga for playing too safely and forgetting how to take risks. This sentiment comes as the Premier League made a record loss of 2.04 billion euros, while the Bundesliga had revenues of 1.03 billion euros and a surplus, largely due to many sales to England.

The English Premier League has broken its own spending record this summer, investing over 3.56 billion euros on new signings. In contrast, the Bundesliga seems to be managing its existing assets, content with the role of the pursuer, while the Premier League lives up to its leadership claim.

Kahn's statements suggest a potential trend of top German players moving to English clubs. He has specifically mentioned the recent transfers of Florian Wirtz to Liverpool FC for at least 125 million euros and Nick Woltemade to Newcastle United for nearly 90 million euros. Bayern Munich had reportedly tried to sign both players.

Kahn identifies a dilemma for Bayern Munich: while the club benefits nationally from the status quo, it holds back Bayern internationally. He believes that as the German record champions, Bayern Munich should demand changes to the system to better align with international standards, including clearer governance, more capital, and better international marketing.

Kahn questions whether the German Football League wants to continue developing talents and losing them, or create conditions that allow them to stay. He emphasizes that while security and solidarity are valuable, they don't win titles.

The Italian Serie A, Spanish La Liga, and French Ligue 1 have collectively spent less on new signings this summer compared to the Premier League. Kahn points out that in the Premier League, 14 out of 20 clubs can agree on decisions, allowing for solutions, while in the German Football League, compromises are more common.

While Kahn's statements imply a need for reform in the German Football League to better compete internationally, the article does not provide specific details about the changes he proposes. However, his call for action underscores the growing concern among German football enthusiasts about the future direction of their league.