Transfers rumors are unavoidable at Bayern Munich, especially with all the moving parts this summer. Legendary goalkeeper and current CEO Oliver Kahn knows that it’s just part of the job as the German giants begin their push for 11th straight domestic titles.
“It’s impossible in Munich to keep things secret,” Kahn told CBS Sports in an interview. “I learned it as a player and now as part of the board. This is one of the most difficult challenges I have to face.”
That’s especially true this summer as they have been involved in some of the biggest blockbuster deals of the summer transfer window. With the arrivals of Sadio Mane from Liverpool and Matthijs de Ligt from Juventus, to the departure of Robert Lewandowski to FC Barcelona, it’s safe to say this has been a summer of change for Bayern.
Kahn and club president Herbert Hainer sat down with CBS Sports ahead of the club’s preseason tour with international friendly fixtures against D.C. United (a 6-2 win on Wednesday) and Manchester City on Saturday at Lambeau Field. The pair of executives talk through the secret to the club’s success, the transfer window, the new incoming signings, Lewandowski’s departure and fighting the complacency that comes from dominating the sport in Germany since the late 1990s.
Summer of change
We don’t usually see a summer with this many notable transactions for a club that recently captured its 10th consecutive Bundesliga title — and 19 out of the past 26 seasons. Expect a bit of a new identity ahead of the new season. Replacing a star striker the caliber of Lewandowski is a tough challenge for Kahn and sporting director Hasan Salihamidžić. The Polish striker publicly asked to leave the club and was introduced on Wednesday as a new Barcelona player on a deal totaling €45 million, plus €5 million in add-ons.
“We lost Lewandowski to FC Barcelona, one of the best strikers — if not the…
Source : cbssports
