Julian Nagelsmann insists his transfer fee hasn’t added to the pressure he faces at Bayern Munich

Julian Nagelsmann became the most expensive managerial transfer when he agreed to join Bayern Munich from RB Leipzig for €25 million. Replacing Hansi Flick after the 2019/2020 treble and 2020/2021 Bundesliga title was always going to be a difficult task for Bayern’s front office, but it had become abundantly clear that Flick wanted to succeed Joachim Low at the German national team.

In a recent interview with Bild, Nagelsmann said that his record-setting transfer fee hasn’t added to the pressure he’s feeling as Bayern manager at all. Despite the transfer fee, he doesn’t actually feel as if he is the most expensive manager Bayern has had as far as salaries, bonuses, and other incentives are concerned. “You name that number...and apart from the actual amount, that’s a milkmaid bill anyway. A coach not only costs a transfer fee, there are also salaries, bonuses, etc. And, for example, I’m definitely not the most expensive coach Bayern have ever had. The initial investment may have been a bit bigger, but the rest of it certainly wasn’t,” he explained.

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Nagelsmann feels that the transfer fee itself has been in focus far too much. Becoming the record managerial transfer to a club like Bayern Munich rightfully comes with its pressure, but the 33-year-old doesn’t feel that the transfer added to it. He thinks becoming manager of FC Bayern alone is reason enough to feel the pressure.

“Basically, of course, a transfer fee always does something to you. But many say that the coach is one of the most important personalities in a football club — only a few years ago a coach never actually cost anything. That’s a bit contrary. In the end, however, I cannot help with the transfer. I didn’t say: ‘Bavaria, if you want me — I’m worth it.’ If I had been on your side as a journalist, I would have reported about it too. But the pressure would be the same for me if I had cost €500,000. Because I want to win everything at FC Bayern one way or another,” he said.

To Nagelsmann’s defense, as well, at the negotiating table Leipzig probably weren’t very lenient in terms of concessions they were willing to give Bayern to have him leave. They were more than well aware that Bayern had a difficult task on their hands in terms of finding a new manager as well as negotiating Flick’s departure from the cub to take over as Die Mannschaft manager.