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BAYERN MUNICH

Rummenigge criticises "crazy" salaries paid to players like Griezmann

Bayern Munich’s general director Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has said he is concerned by the trend of paying players eight-figure net salaries.

Rummenigge criticises "crazy" salaries paid to players like Griezmann
Matthias Balk/dpa

Bayern Munich’s general director Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has expressed his concern regarding the inflated salaries that are being paid to star footballers in England, Italy and Spain.

"The market has changed completely," he said in an interview with the German newspaper Bild.

"What causes me concern is not only the transfer fees; 100 or 120 million euros is no longer spectacular.

“I am much more worried about the salaries that are being paid, especially in Spain, England and Italy. The trend is going towards paying net salaries. We have to be careful not to destabilise our salary order. The dimensions are enormous.”

Barcelona set dangerous precedent with Griezmann

Rummenigge highlighted Antoine Griezmann as a case in point. The French striker signed for Barcelona from Atlético last month and will reportedly make 17 million euros net per season.

“All this must be multiplied by two since the club is responsible for paying taxes," stressed Rummenigge. “Bayern will not participate in all these crazy things”.

Antoine Griezmann with Barcelona president Josep Bartomeu.
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Antoine Griezmann with Barcelona president Josep Bartomeu.Albert GeaREUTERS

According to Teutonic media, Robert Lewandowski, Thomas Müller and Manuel Neuer are the highest paid players on the Bayern squad, each earning around 15 million euros gross per year, which would be less than half of Griezmann’s gross salary at Camp Nou.

Bayern will look to academy

Rummenigge said Bayern’s objective will continue to depend on their youth academy, whose notable graduates in recent decades have included the likes of Toni Kroos, Thomas Muller, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Mats Hummels and Philipp Lahm.

"We have to continue with our usual path at Bayern," he said. "In the future, positions 17, 18, 19 and 20 of our squad must be taken up by young players who do not cost so much money and receive normal salaries. Then we have to manage to pick one or two of those four players out each year who have the ability to have continuity in the first team. It will be an interesting task.”

Of course, the German champions haven’t completely abandoned the inflated transfer market. They have already paid Atlético Madrid 80 million euros this year for central defender Lucas Hernandez and look set to offer Manchester City 100 million euros for German international Leroy Sané.