Bundesliga, German top football division, has lost more stars than new players this summer transfer market. Florian Wirtz left from Bayer Leverkusen to Liverpool (and so did their heroic manager Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid), Thomas Muller left to Vancouver Whitecaps for arguably the end of his career, and Kingsley Coman, goal scorer of Bayern's Champions League title in 2020, left to Al-Nassr in Saudi Pro League.
The only top player to move to Germany was Luis Díaz, who joined Bayern as FC Barcelona was unable to match the price asked by Liverpool. Yet Bayern also failed to convince Nico Williams from Athletic Club, another rising star that will remain in LaLiga for now. Is Germany not appealing enough?
Oliver Kahn, legendary goalkeeper and formerly Bayern Munich CEO, said that the supposed appeal of Bundesliga is deceptive, having lost its prestige. "The Premier League and La Liga stand out clearly" Kahn told Kicker, via DW. "Everyone knows the stars and teams."
Further reading: Bundesliga CEO explains why the latest Spanish football controversy would never happen in Germany: "It's unthinkable"
Seeing how Wirtz picked Premier League champions Liverpool instead of Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich, Kahn said that it shows "that the Premier League has established itself as an exceptional player, not only in sporting terms but also in terms of business. It's the most exciting place to be if you want to compete at the highest level, sportingly, financially, and media-wise."
Are you a fan of Bundesliga? In the UK and Ireland, rights have been divided among three traditional broadcasters and two YouTube channels, which will surely be frustrating for existing fans, but may bring in new viewers. And Germany is still where Harry Kane plays...