Herbert Hainer, president of German heavyweights Bayern Munich, has on Friday provided an insight into the club’s failed summer move for West Ham United star Declan Rice.
The subject of deep-lying midfield reinforcements, of course, took its place front and centre in the headlines at the Allianz Arena ahead of the new season.
This came as Thomas Tuchel made clear his desire for fresh blood in the middle of the park.
A whole host of names, in turn, were tipped as potential arrivals in Munich, with Fulham standout Joao Palhinha having even gone as far as to undertake a medical with the Bundesliga champions.
LONDON, ENGLAND – MAY 20: Joao Palhinha during the Premier League match between Fulham FC and Crystal Palace at Craven Cottage (Alamy Stock Photo)
Another front-running target, at one point, though, came in the form of the aforementioned Rice.
England international Rice ultimately made the short move across London from West Ham to Arsenal during the summer, but this only came after he had been identified as the ideal addition by Bayern earlier in the window.
And the German went on to reveal that financial constraints proved the deciding factor, as Bayern instead opted to utilise the bulk of their budget on another Englishman, Harry Kane.
🔴 Why did Declan Rice-Bayern deal collapse? FC Bayern president Heiner: “With the Declan Rice deal, given our financial possibilities we had to set other priorities”.
“What remains is the club. That’s why you have to make decisions in the interests of the club”. pic.twitter.com/r1MbR2DlJQ
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 29, 2023
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