In the latest highlights from Bild reporter Christian Falk’s new book about FC Bayern, the veteran insider revealed that Pep Guardiola ultimately declined to renew his contract because the club did not sign for him the superstar players he wanted. “FC Bayern’s transfer policy was a misunderstanding between Pep Guardiola and the club from the get-go,” Bild writes.
As Falk puts it, the fact that Bayern talked him out of Neymar and persuaded him to take Mario Götze “hurt him long in his soul.” Guardiola also wanted Bayern to sign Luis Suárez from Liverpool — at the time, he cost €40 million rather than the €80 Barcelona paid.
Falk further writes, “During his tenure at Bayern, Guardiola dreamed of players like Paul Pogba, Marco Verratti, Eden Hazard, Kevin de Bruyne, and Raheem Sterling. Bayern’s then-technical director Michael Reschke offered him players like Gonzalo Castro or Hakan Calhanoglu. Nein, danke. Continue reading