Sharp Criticism of Football Agents: Uli Hoeneß Announces Tougher Stance for Bayern Munich

The conflict between Bayern Munich and the managerial community has intensified following recent statements by Uli Hoeneß. In an emotional speech, the club's honorary president criticized the mechanisms governing the transfer market. The flashpoint turned out to be negotiations with Dayot Upamecano, who extended his contract until 2030. According to the official, the player's agents deliberately delayed the process to drive up the price or force a transfer to another club, while expecting high payments in the form of handgeld (signing-on fees). Hoeneß announced that the club will not yield to financial blackmail and declared a fight against the growing power of intermediaries.

Relations between Bayern Munich and football agents have been tense for decades; as early as the 1990s, the club was known for its tough negotiating stance, often engaging in public disputes with Europe's most influential managers. These accusations were responded to by Jörg Neblung, a well-known football agent, who described the president's words as "pure populism." Neblung pointed out that clubs often use agents as scapegoats when they fail to quickly push through their own terms. He also emphasized that it is the player, not the agent, who makes the final decision to sign a contract. Matthias Sammer also joined the debate, even advocating for the abolition of the intermediary profession. This situation shows a deep divide in German sports regarding the distribution of profits from transfers and the role of third parties in professional football.

„In the case of Upamecano, the agents wanted to either drive up the price with us or push him to another club, and as a thank you, we were supposed to pay them on top.” — Uli Hoeneß 2030 — Upamecano's new contract is valid until this year Experts predict that Bayern's stance could lead to long-term changes in the way contracts are negotiated in the Bundesliga. The Munich giant wants to limit spending on commissions, which have drastically increased in recent years. Although the Upamecano case ended in sporting success, the bad taste from the public exchange of words remains. Other clubs are closely watching this dispute, wondering whether the radical approach of the Bavarians will negatively impact their ability to acquire new talents in the future. Liberal media often emphasize market freedom and the right of players to professional representation in disputes with powerful clubs. | Conservative commentaries point to the greed of agents and the need to protect traditional values and sports budgets from exploitation.