Bayern Munich has seen a first offer for Nick Woltemade turned down by league competitors VfB … More
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Could Bayern Munich miss out on yet another transfer target? On Monday, multiple reports in Germany indicated that Bayern had an offer for Nick Woltemade turned down by Bundesliga competitors VfB Stuttgart.
A report by Zeitungsverlag Waiblingen indicated that officials at VfB Stuttgart considered Bayern’s offer laughable. According to the report, Bayern offered €40 million ($46.7 million) plus €5 million ($5.8 million) in bonuses. The initial fee was going to be paid in four installments.
The report then adds that there have been no further negotiations between the two camps. While the talks between Bayern director of sport Max Eberl and the VfB bosses have been considered positive, some of the outside noise has been considered an obstacle to getting a deal done.
Not for the first time, the main issue at Bayern appears to be the fact that the club isn’t speaking in one voice. Public statements by Bayern CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen and former Bayern boss Uli Hoeneß were received negatively in Stuttgart.
Indeed, Dreesen and Hoeneß have delivered very different messages to the public. “There’s only one thing to say about that—Nick Woltemade is a VfB Stuttgart player,” Dreesen said to Sky Germany on Jul. 4, 2025, while the club was in the United States at the FIFA Club World Cup. “And it’s not appropriate to stir up any discussions or make comments.”
Then, one day later, in Bavaria, Hoeneß offered his remarks on the Woltemade situation. “We still have time until the end of August,” Hoeneß said to the Bayerische Rundfunk. “I consider him a very, very good player who would fit in perfectly with us, and I would be very pleased if that happens this year—and if not, then next year.”
In other words, while one club official tried to calm down the situation in the United States, Hoeneß opted to pour further gasoline into the fire. It isn’t the first time that Hoeneß publicly commented on the ongoing negotiations between his club and a player under contract at another team.
Nick Woltemade led Stuttgart to the DFB Pokal title this spring. (Photo by JOHN MACDOUGALL/AFP via … More
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Back in 2023, when Bayern was in talks with Tottenham to sign Harry Kane, Hoeneß also publicly weighed in; those comments angered Spurs boss Daniel Levy at the time and ultimately meant that Bayern had to pay a significantly higher transfer fee to get the deal done. The same could happen here as well.
“We signed a long-term contract with Nick a year and a half ago,” Stuttgart sporting director Fabian Wolgemuth said to ZVW earlier in the month when asked about Bayern’s interest. “It’s still valid, and therefore we expect Nick to continue playing football with us next season. I believe he’ll stay here next season. Nick Woltemade is a VfB player.”
What will Woltemade cost? Stuttgart will be emboldened by the fact that Eintracht Frankfurt sold Randal Kolo Muani for over $100 million to PSG in 2023 and then Omar Marmoush for €75 million ($88 million) to Man City this January. Per a report by Transfermarkt, Frankfurt has also set a price tag of over €75 million for striker Hugo Ekitiké.
According to a report by Gegenpressing, the three forwards are seen as comparable players by industry insiders to Woltemade. As a result, the Swabians aren’t interested in starting talks unless Bayern Munich makes an offer in the €60 million ($70 million) range. That figure is considered a starting point in transfer talks.
For Bayern, however, those kinds of fees for Bundesliga players are unheard of. The Rekordmeister still lives in a world in which they could sign players from competitors for relatively little money. The rest of the league is now aware of Bayern’s finances and, as a result, essentially demands Premier League money for transfers.
It is a difficult situation for the Bayern bosses. On the one hand, Bayern wants to improve the roster. On the other hand, the club also intends to bring salaries and fees down to a more sustainable level.
The situation might require some out-of-the-box thinking. It could also mean that Woltemade won’t join Bayern after all this summer. By the way, Stuttgart signed Woltemade on a free transfer last summer from Werder Bremen.
