Joshua Kimmich has developed into an indispensable leader at FC Bayern Munich. The 26-year-old has become an indispensable part of the record champions.
Im SPORT1 Podcast “My Bavaria week“reveals Michael Reschke, why he had to do a lot of persuasion for the Kimmich transfer with the Bayern officials. (Bundesliga table)
The SPORT1 podcast “Meine Bayern-Woche” opens podcast.sport1.de, in the SPORT1 app and the popular streaming platforms Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Deezer and Podigee
Reschke was Technical Director at FC Bayern between 2014 and 2017 and was jointly responsible for various transfers during this time.
Reschke had Kimmich in his sights at the U19 European Championships
“Kimmich was the first major engagement for which I was primarily responsible,” says Reschke. The midfield star was on the Munich watch list for a long time. “The U19 European Championship was in July 2014. There were a number of interesting players like Niklas Stark, Julian Brandt and Levin Öztunali. We were particularly interested in Joshua Kimmich. At the European Championships he was clearly the most interesting and strongest player for me,” adds the 63-year-old added.
That’s why Reschke made a decision. He wanted to guide the right footer to Munich. The person in charge made first contact with Kimmich’s advisor Uli Ferber. “I was in a taxi on the way to the hotel and asked the taxi driver: ‘Do you speak German?’ He said: ‘No’. Then I called Uli Ferber and said: ‘We’re going to sign Joshua Kimmich.’ “
Incidentally, the consultant initially thought that Reschke had wanted to guide Kimmich to Bayer Leverkusen. Reschke had previously been employed there. “Then I said: ‘We want to sign him for Bayern Munich’. Then everything took its course,” said Reschke.
A year before the U19 European Championship, Kimmich moved from the youth department of VfB Stuttgart to the third division promoted RB Leipzig. (Results and schedule of the Bundesliga)
However, VfB Stuttgart had a buyback option until 2015 and was able to decide on the future of the talent.
Kimmich: Stuttgart had the power to make decisions
In the summer of 2015, a deal between three parties finally developed.
Reschke reveals that FC Bayern had actually planned 4 to 4.5 million euros as a transfer package for Kimmich. “That was a mighty number for a 19-year-old who had never played in the Bundesliga, including Bayern.” (Reschke clarifies the Sanches transfer)
However, the record champions even had to spend almost ten million euros in the end. The reason: Ralf Rangnick as Leipzig’s sports director had entered the competition.
“In the final contract talks with Stuttgart, Schneider told me (Jochen Schneider, Stuttgart’s sports director at the time, editor’s note)that they respect Joshua’s wish to move to Munich. But Ralf Rangnick got in touch and told us that he really wanted to put some money down and that we would definitely not get there with four to five million. Then I had to swallow. “(Everything about the Bundesliga).
Reschke convinced Rummenigge with a plea
This was followed by a final conversation for Reschke with Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and CFO Jan-Christian Dreßen. Rummenigge almost wanted to let the deal fall through and said to Reschke: “With all due respect, we know how much you appreciate the player. Almost ten million for someone who has not played a minute in the Bundesliga is unusual and extremely high for Bayern.”
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But Reschke fought for Kimmich.
“At that time I leaned very far out of the window.” Mr Rummenigge, that is not a lot of money for a future German national player who will play a key role at Bayern Munich for years. I am firmly convinced that we have to sign this player for Bayern Munich ‘”, Reschke remembers his plea.
At the time, Kimmich had already decided in favor of FC Bayern and against staying at Leipzig. “Jo wanted to go to Munich from the start. He also found working with Pep Guardiola totally fascinating,” explains Reschke. (Reschke sure: Haaland is changing here)
On July 2, 2015, Kimmich then signed with the record champions. Since then he has played 254 competitive games, won 15 titles and became a national player.
That’s how eating really went with Tuchel and Guardiola
How Reschke’s dinner with Thomas Tuchel and Pep Guardiola went, how he thinks about his biggest and weakest Bayern transfers, who imitated Uli Hoeneß in the transfer from Kingsley Coman, why a Bayern change from Antoine Griezmann failed, what he said about newcomer Omar Richards thinks and to which country Erling Haaland is moving, you will find out in the new one SPORT1-Podcast My Bavaria weekthat no Bayern fan should miss. Because there have never been so many insights!
There speaks SPORT1 Chief reporter Florian Plettenberg with SPORT1 Moderator Jana Wosnitza on the topics and news of the week at FC Bayern and the German national team. From now on every Friday: In the fourth episode, “Plettigoal” explains why it is really seething because of Jérôme Boateng and how high the risk is that Hansi Flick will go on his own because of his anger. The SPORT1 Podcast “My Bavaria Week” is on podcast.sport1.de, in the SPORT1 app and on the popular streaming platforms Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Deezer and Podigee.
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