Sky Germany reports that highly rated Schalke midfielder Assan Ouédraogo will not move to Bayern Munich this summer, despite the interest from the Rekordmeister.
The reason why Ouédraogo will not move to Bayern is that they want to save money on what would be the complete financial package for the 18-year-old. The total fee of €15-20m would be paid for a transfer that would not take place until next year.
Ouédraogo’s father also confirmed that a move will not happen: “Unfortunately, there are many false reports circulating about Assan. The fact is: There was never a commitment from Assan and from us to FC Bayern, although we had had a well-paid contract from FC Bayern ready for signature for months. The idea and perspective were more important to us than Bayern’s financial means. We knew about Bayern’s current situation and of course followed it closely. Bayern have now informed us openly and honestly that they do not want to afford a transfer of Assan this summer for various reasons. Assan recently turned 18. We’re grateful and proud of the big interest in our boy. But we have a valid contract with Schalke 04 and will not make any hasty decisions. The next step is incredibly important for his personal and footballing development. The financial aspect is not decisive, but mainly the idea and trust of the future coach and the people in charge. We are continuing to work with Schalke 04 to find a good solution for the club and for Assan. Assan has Schalke in his heart, I can assure you of that. We’ve not yet made a commitment to any club. What we can confirm is that we have received several written offers – not only from Bayern. Many clubs, especially from the Premier League, have been very interested in Assan. There are teams from England who would like to sign Assan directly for their first team in the summer. We will make the right decision soon.”
Bayern also have to pay a transfer fee worth around €10-11m for new head coach Vincent Kompany whilst also paying a severance fee for Thomas Tuchel which is said to be worth €10m.
RB Leipzig and Eintracht Frankfurt have also shown interest in the 18-year-old but will face competition from Premier League sides such as Liverpool. The positive is that Ouédraogo’s tendency is to still move within the Bundesliga, while the midfielder also wants to then spend another year on loan at Schalke after a transfer.
GGFN | Jack Meenan
