'They're not top tier': It's safe to say Bayern Munich haven't taken Newcastle United's signing of Nick Woltemade well
Bayern Munich had been trying all summer to sign Germany's Under 21 hero Nick Woltemade, but kept falling short of Stuttgart's demands before Newcastle United swooped in at the 11th hour.
Newcastle have broken their transfer record to sign the Under-21s European Championships top scorer with an initial £64.5 million plus £4.5 million in add-ons, taking the deal to £69 million, dwarfing the £63 million paid for Alexander Isak.
Bayern Munich had looked certs to sign the 23-year-old this summer, but their bids were more around the £40 million mark, which obviously wasn't anywhere near enough for Stuttgart to accept.
Now that the Magpies have taken the option away from them, it's safe to say that Bayern Munich haven't taken it very well.
Christoph Freund took a not-so-subtle jab at Newcastle United
Bayern Munich's sporting director Christoph Freund spoke to German site Kicker about Newcastle's acquisition, where he bemoaned the difference in spending power between the Premier League and the Bundesliga while taking a sly jab at Newcastle in the process.
“We at Bayern Munich are very, very attractive, we notice that again and again when we talk to players. Financially, the Premier League is in a different league. You have discussions, you have a certain relationship.”
“Ultimately, it’s the player’s decision as to what’s the best step for his career. We’re not involved in that. The sums of money involved; how much money is at stake; that they have brutal opportunities in the Premier League.”
“Not just two or three clubs, many clubs. Newcastle is a good club, but not the top tier.”
“Bayern Munich is Bayern Munich, a very, very big club. The boys can win titles here, we can offer them very interesting options internationally, and domestically as well. It’s always the player’s decision.”
Newcastle aren't in the top-tier ... yet
In Bayern's defence, having been on the end of several deals that saw raw spending power win out over common sense, we get where they're coming from.
And he may even have a point about Bayern being bigger than Newcastle ... for now. But that's exactly the point, and that's what Alexander Isak isn't getting ... Newcastle are growing, they are aiming to break into that top tier and the only way to get there is to buy top-tier players or players capable of becoming top-tier.
There's got to be more pride involved in being part of the project that took perpetual underdogs to the elite rather than joining an already elite side. Isak joining Liverpool proves to us he's more about money than ambition. He could have been a God here. He brought us one trophy and could have brought us more, but instead, he's opting to go somewhere where his likelihood of winning is higher because they've already done it without him.
So we'd have sympathised with Bayern if it wasn't for that dig at Newcastle, so now we'll just say this ... enjoy Nicolas Jackson.
