Bayern Munich up Nick Woltemade’s salary offer in attempt to force transfer | OneFootball

The Wednesday print edition of Sport Bild reports that FC Bayern Munich are now offering Stuttgart striker Nick Woltemade an astronomical salary as part of their attempts to force a transfer. The German tabloid speaks of a €7m annual income that could rise to €11m with bonuses.

Such figures leave Stuttgart with little chance of keeping Woltemade in their own contract extension negotiations with the player. Stuttgart have reportedly offered Woltemade only a modest salary increase. The numbers pale in comparison to what the German giants are prepare to pay.

Woltemade’s representation has clearly rejected a 67% bump that would raise his annual income from €1.5m to €2.5m. Sport Bild goes on to boldly proclaim that Bayern head coach already plans to hand Woltemade as regular starting role behind Harry Kane in the ten slot.

In the meantime, more voices on the German footballing scene are expressing dismay with the politics of this particular game of transfer poker. Following a Kicker Editorial published by last night, journalist Christian Kynast has offered up similar thoughts on the Sport Bild pages.

“What many people tend to forget is that the striker has only been a regular player for a few months,” Kynast writes. “He has “only” started 17 games this season. He also spent most of his time on the bench at his previous club in Bremen. Sure, financially, a move would be worthwhile. Not in sporting terms, however. Woltemade would be better off staying in Stuttgart and confirming his performances. In Sebastian Hoeneß, he has a coach who believes in him.”

DFB managing director Andreas Rettig – in a mixed zone interview from last Saturday night published by Kicker – spoke on the unfortunate timing of this distracting saga.

“I would have preferred it if FC Bayern’s transfer policy had not been made public just when Nick and the DFB have a big final ahead of them,” Rettig said. “I think the timing was suboptimal. We couldn’t control it, but would have liked it to be different.”

GGFN | Peter Weis