Hoeness rules out winter transfers, promises revolution in summer

Bayern Munich’s president, despite being on the receiving end of an unplanned beer shower courtesy of the home fans, was calm and collected after the dramatic ending of Bayern’s electrifying 2-3 away loss to Dortmund. Although Dortmund now hold a 7-point lead in the Bundesliga table, Hoeness ruled out drastic measures during the winter window (SZ).

“No, we definitely will not undertake any activities on the transfer market,” Hoeness stated when asked whether Bayern Munich would use the winter transfer window to reinforce its current roster. In his view, the players soon to return from injury will be reinforcements enough:

We’re getting Coman back before Christmas and Thiago will be able to play again, too, in two or three weeks.

Hoeness speculated that Corentin Tolisso could rejoin the team in February, and Alfonso Davies will likewise give Niko Kovac an option once he joins the team over the winter break. Besides signing Davies from Vancouver for a record sum for MLS and Leon Goretzka from Schalke on a free transfer, Bayern’s summer transfer activity was extremely restrained. That restraint appears to have been deliberate. Hoeness promised a radical change in the coming summer window:

Next year, when the second step of the revolution comes, we will definitely change the face of the team.

What that “revolution” (Umbruch) will entail will no doubt occupy fans and pundits alike until it finally occurs. In the meantime, Hoeness described the game as “an advertisement for soccer in Germany and especially for the Bundesliga.” He was content about the result, stating.

I’m less angry, sad and dejected today than a few weeks ago when we lost to Gladbach at home.

The loss stung less because the team had delivered a strong performance against. “The Bundesliga is really fun again. Now people should be happy that it’s exciting.”