Bayern Munich have often been criticized for buying talented players from the rest of the clubs in the German Bundesliga to strengthen their position as the dominant force in the league.
Since Borussia Dortmund won the title in the 2011/12 season, Bayern have won the Bundesliga 9 times in a row with no other club offering them a solid challenge over the years.
This local dominance has been heavily aided by the other German clubs in the league who have offered up their best players to the Bavarian side despite them being direct rivals.
Since 2011, Bayern have bought the likes of Manuel Neuer, Mario Gotze, Mats Hummels, Robert Lewandowski, Niklas Sule, Serge Gnabry and Leon Goretzka from direct title rivals such as Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen, Schalke, Wolfsburg and Borussia Monchengladbach.
It looks like the German club is showing no signs of putting an end to this transfer strategy as Bayern are now set to sign 13-year-old prodigy, Mike Wisdom from Borussia Monchengladbach for their U-15 team, according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.
By now fans have become accustomed to Bayern ‘poaching’ talent from the rest of Bundesliga. However, signing a 13-year-old for over €300K has turned a lot of heads as Wisdom prepares for the switch from Gladbach.
FC Bayern are set to pay €300k to sign 13-year-old striker Mike Wisdom from Borussia Mönchengladbach. He will join U-15 team per @plettigoal. 🔴 #Bayern
Gladbach director Virkus: “Such deals are anything but beneficial for German football, it’s distasteful", he told @rponline. pic.twitter.com/uXnxXwcJnQ
According to reports, the youngster has been described as an “exceptional” talent with great pace, quality individual skills and is also two-footed.
As per Sky Sports Germany, Bayern have beaten interest from Dortmund and Leverkusen to convince the teenager who will now sign for the Bavarians in the summer. The entire deal will cost the club €300K, which includes the player’s wages, signing on bonus as well as a relocation fee for Wisdom’s parents.
Sky Germany also revealed that Gladbach wanted to keep a hold of the player but as soon as clubs such as Bayern and Dortmund entered the scene, they had no chance.
Gladbach director Roland Virkus did not hold back on attacking Bayern for their ‘poaching’ transfer strategy and called the deal “distasteful and unbeneficial for German football.”
The German official does seem to have a point looking at Bayern’s track record in Bundesliga over the past years and with the club now signing youngsters with the same strategy, it would take a massive effort to dismount the Bavarians from their stronghold in Germany.
