Sandro Wagner
Winter 2017/18, 13 million, TSG Hoffenheim
Robert Lewandowski demanded a backup in 2017 – and so Wagner became Salihamidzic’s first transfer. The center forward scored reliably, but was sold to China just a year later with a loss of eight million euros.
FT grade: 3.5
Leon Goretzka
Summer 2018, free transfer, Schalke 04
Numerous top clubs were involved in the free transfer midfield driver. Salihamidzic convinced Goretzka of Munich – and that pays off. The powerhouse is now one of the best eights in the world and has long been a leader.
FT grade: 1
Alphonso Davies
Winter 2018/19, 10m, Vancouver Whitecaps
Hardly anyone in this country had Davies on the screen when Brazzo struck. He is now worth a multiple of the transfer fee paid and, with his dynamic on the left, is indispensable.
FT grade:1
Lucas Hernandez
Summer 2019, 80m, Atlético Madrid
Hernández is Bayern’s most reliable defender this season. However, the fact that the record transfer took two years to become a regular player clearly clouds the overall picture. The fee still seems too high.
FT grade: 3.5
Benjamin Pavard
Summer 2019, 35 million, VfB Stuttgart
The attribute “Reliable” also describes Pavard well. The defender is a regular player from the start – also due to a lack of alternatives for the back right. Restricted there rather to the core business.
FT grade: 2.5
Philippe Coutinho
Summer 2019, loan, FC Barcelona
The commitment of the Brazilian ball artist was a coup – but in the end Coutinho was nothing more than a high-quality but also outrageously expensive supplementary player. The package of rental fee and salary cost Bayern more than 30 million euros for ten months.
FT grade: 4
Michael Cuisance
Summer 2019, 8 million, Borussia M’gladbach
Salihamidzic showed up at Cuisance’s commitment “convinced that we will have a lot of fun with him”. A clear misjudgment. The midfielder was hardly used, made a stink and was sold on to Italy at a loss.
FT grade: 6
Ivan Perisic
Summer 2019, Loan, Inter Milan
When Leroy Sané’s transfer fell through, Brazzo conjured up what at first glance seemed a conservative solution with Ivan Perisic. But the Croatian convinced on the left and played a major role in the treble under Hansi Flick. Still had to go.
FT grade: 2
Fiete Arp
Summer 2019, 3 million, Hamburger SV
The once most promising striker in Germany was already on the decline in 2019. Nevertheless, Brazzo equipped him with a long-term contract. Allegedly, Arp collects a crazy five million per season. He didn’t even make it permanently into the professional team. Now awarded to Kiel.
FT grade: 6
Alvaro Odriozola
Winter 2019/20, Loan, Real Madrid
Hansi Flick wanted a new right-back in winter 2019/20. But the coach didn’t know what to do with Odriozola. Only twice was the loan in the starting XI, Odriozola never played through.
FT grade: 5
Leroy Sane
Summer 2020, 60m, Manchester City
The Sané commitment was Salihamidzic’s big prestige project. After tearing his cruciate ligament, the national player needed a year to be in top form again. Only after whistles from his own fans did Sané really turn it up, but finally fell into the next form hole. Overall below expectations.
FT grade: 3.5
Alexander Nuebel
Summer 2020, free transfer, Schalke 04
Germany’s greatest goalkeeping talent for free sounds like a great deal at first. But: Brazzo made Nübel promises about missions that were not kept. The result was unrest and trouble with regular goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and a replacement goalkeeper that was expensive to maintain. Nübel has been loaned to Monaco since summer 2021. After all, Bayern has a prospect of a transfer win.
FT grade: 4
Tanguy Nianzou
Summer 2020, free transfer, Paris St. Germain
Similar to Nübel, Bayern prevailed against numerous competitors at Nianzou and did not have to pay a fee. The defender then missed his first year almost completely injured. Recently, Nianzou finally got more playing time and made a few mistakes. But that’s normal for a 19-year-old. There is potential.
FT grade: 3
Douglas Costa
Summer 2020, loan, Juventus Turin
With his return, Costa should heat up the competition on the outside, but under Flick he was the clear number four on the wings. The loan season cost Bayern eleven million euros in salary – that’s 2.75 million per goal participation. Clearly too much.
FT grade: 5
Bouna Sarr
Summer 2020, 8m, Olympique Marseille
Sarr surprisingly came to Munich as a blank slate, and the right-back has never presented a real alternative since then. The level at Bayern is too high for Sarr. For the now 30-year-old, the eight million invested will not be able to be recovered.
FT grade: 5.5
Marc Roca
Summer 2020, 9m, Espanyol Barcelona
The money invested in Roca is likely to be gone to a large extent. The ball-safe Spaniard did not fit into the system either with Flick or under Nagelsmann. When he plays, it’s usually decent. But only very rarely.
FT grade: 5
Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting
Summer 2020, free transfer, Paris St. Germain
The new solution as a Lewandowski backup came as a surprise, but is definitely convincing. Choupo-Moting is there when you need it and not too expensive to maintain. This is one of the reasons why his contract was extended to 2023 after a year.
FT grade: 2.5
Tiago Dantas
Summer 2020, Loan, Benfica Lisbon
Dantas came at Flick’s request, but had physical deficits that were far too great to keep up in the Bundesliga. After just one year, the misunderstanding was ended again. After all, the talent wasn’t expensive.
FT grade: 5
Dayot Upamecano
Summer 2021, 42.5 million, RB Leipzig
The centre-back arrived with the difficult task of taking on the legacy of Jérôme Boateng and David Alaba. Upamecano is not a defensive chief, and he also has weaknesses in play compared to his predecessors. In his first season, good performances and hair-raising performances alternated cheerfully. But the Frenchman undoubtedly has potential for development.
FT grade: 4
Marcel Sabitzer
Summer 2021, 15 million, RB Leipzig
For years Marcel Sabitzer was one of the best players in the Bundesliga. With Julian Nagelsmann, even his former coach was the driving force behind the transfer. It is all the more strange that the midfield all-rounder is so off the mark in Munich. There will be a new attempt next season.
FT grade: 5
Omar Richards
Summer 2021, free transfer, Reading FC
In the depths of England’s second division, Brazzo discovered the left-back who, under Nagelsmann, barely got a chance to play even during Davies’ downtime. If Richards is allowed to play, he doesn’t always play badly. Nevertheless, he doesn’t even seem to be trusted as a backup.
FT grade: 4.5
Sven Ulrich
Summer 2021, free transfer, Hamburger SV
After Nübel left, Salihamidzic brought his predecessor back. At Bayern you know what you have in Ulreich: a loyal number two with good reflexes, but also with occasional dropouts and weaknesses on the ball.
FT grade: 3