Bayern Munich have agreed a deal of €300k for 13-year-old Mike Wisdom, a move which has been met with fierce criticism.
The Bundesliga table toppers have long held a monopoly as the powerhouses of German football, last failing to win the league title in 2012, and as a result of their continued dominance the gap between them and the rest of the league continues to widen.
German football has long been at odds with the many of its other European relatives over the way it operates, with the intense commercialisation seen in places such as The Premier League completely at odds with German football’s 50+1 rule.
However, the latest move from Bayern screams of an underlying shift towards a more commercially dominated path.
Borussia Monchengladbach director Ronald Virkus scoffed at the move, saying: “Such deals are anything but beneficial for German football, it’s distasteful.”
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
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) March 24, 2022
Wisdom, a 13-year-old striker who currently plays for Monchengladbach, is set for a move to Bayern Munich, with the Bavarians paying a fee of €300k. A figure no 13-year-old should be able to command.
Last summer, Manchester City paid £450k for 13-year-old Stevenage academy player Leke Drake. Another deal which seems utterly ridiculous.