Why Bayern are now out of the race to sign Rudiger or Christensen

FT Desk
FT Desk
  • Updated: 23 May 2023 08:55 CDT
  • 3 min read
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Bayern Munich will be desperate to sign a central defender this summer, following news that Niklas Sule is set to leave the club for Borussia Dortmund.

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The German giants have often been one of the smartest clubs in the transfer market for some time now.

And, following Sule’s planned departure, the club have been heavily linked with a number of defenders ahead of the summer transfer window.

Chelsea pair Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen have been linked with a move to Munich for some time now, while Juventus defender Matthijs de Ligt and Gleison Bremer of Torino have also reportedly been discussed at the club.

However, according to a new report from Germany, it seems unlikely that Bayern will be able to make a move for some of their more desirable targets this summer.

Why Bayern won’t sign Christensen or Rudiger

According to German broadcasters Sport1, Bayern may struggle to make moves for some of Europe’s most enticing prospects this summer because the club’s finances would struggle to match such wage demands.

While Bayern are one of the richest clubs in Europe, the Bundesliga giants have spent the past 12 months renewing the contracts of numerous first team players, such as Kingsley Coman and Leon Goretzka.

Are Bayern Munich in trouble this summer?

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As such, the club now has no less than eight players that are now making €15 million or more per year on salaries. Which means Bayern are now paying at least €120m for these star players every year.

With that in mind, the German broadcaster believes that Bayern will not be able to afford the wage demands of a player like Rudiger or Christensen, or the transfer fee that would also accompany a move for De Ligt.

Instead, Bayern may turn to Bremer because he would likely cost less than €20m, or Matthias Ginter, who would be available for free in the summer.

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