This is how Freund plans the new FC Bayern

Two new signings have already been confirmed at FC Bayern for the coming season. Further transfers from sports director Christoph Freund will follow. The Austrian is planning the new Bavarians.

Munich – Christoph Freund (46) has been the sports director for just over 100 days FC Bayern in office – and a clear handwriting can already be seen.

With the contract extensions of goalkeepers Manuel Neuer (37) and Sven Ulreich (35), Freund wants to secure the current success of the German record champions, but the sports director is already looking to the future with at least one eye and is busy working on the new FC Bayern.

Irankunda and Zaragoza are just the beginning: This is how Freund is planning the new FC Bayern

This is shown by the commitments of the two young wingers Bryan Zaragoza (22/FC Granada) and Nestory Irankunda (17/Adelaide United). It is also clear what future plans Freund is pursuing with this: promising talents should be brought to Säbener Straße early and for less money in order to develop into top players and generate a corresponding market value.

Spain’s high-flyer Zaragoza cost around 15 million euros in transfer fees, while Australia’s Irankunda is due a maximum of 3.5 million euros in bonus payments. In addition, the Bavarian model club is also showing great interest in Schalke’s homegrown player Assan Ouedraogo (17), who is at home in central midfield.

FC Bayern is keen on further talent: Is Assan Ouedraogo also coming?

These transfer ideas in Munich are not entirely new. Ex-sports director Hasan Salihamidzic (46) pursued similar plans at the time, which worked, at least in the cases of Alphonso Davies (23) and Jamal Musiala (20). They still have to prove whether Zaragoza and Irankunda are really Bayern-caliber players. This also applies to the two campus kickers Frans Krätzig (20) and Aleksandar Pavlovic (19), who were given professional contracts under the direction of the new sports director.

“Of course, the campus should continue to develop talent for our professionals in the future, but that will never be as extreme as in Salzburg because we have different goals here. It has to be right for FC Bayern – and at the same time the talents have to know that they will receive such good training with us that there is a high probability that they will make the transition to professional football,” announced Freund in an interview with Bayern Magazine 51 an.

The new Bayern plan: Christoph Freund explains his scouting

There he was also asked what factors are needed to turn a player into an FC Bayern player? “We are talking about the highest level here, so of course you need the footballing requirements such as technique and tactical understanding. But the mentality is crucial,” replied the Salzburg native and explained: “You have to have the confidence to deliver again and again at the highest level. It’s important to work with young players on what it means to deal with pressure.”

The aforementioned Musiala and Davies have shown in the past that they can do that and are made of Bavarian wood. It’s no wonder that the duo plays a central role in Freund’s plans tz-Information has already held discussions with the respective management.

Tenor: Freund is seen as a pleasant and competent conversation partner, but in contrast to Salihamidzic, not as a buddy type. And for the 2025/2026 season, the Munich makers already have Mike Maignan (28) from AC Milan and Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz (20) in mind. Manuel Bonke, Philipp Kessler