Bundesliga at a Crossroads as Premier League’s Spending Power Shakes German Football

The Premier League’s record-breaking summer transfer window is sending shockwaves through German football, where even Bundesliga heavyweights like Bayern Munich are struggling to keep pace with England’s financial dominance.

Four of the top five most expensive Premier League signings this summer — Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Nick Woltemade, and Benjamin Sesko — were plucked from Bundesliga clubs. Only Alexander Isak’s move from Newcastle to Liverpool broke the German monopoly on big-money outgoings.

Liverpool alone signed two of the top Bundesliga exports, part of a staggering €380 million (approx. £300m or $446m) spent on that quartet. In total, Premier League clubs splashed out over €3 billion this summer — a record for any transfer window.

Pressure Mounts on Bundesliga Structure

This financial chasm has reignited debates in Germany over whether the league needs structural reforms to remain competitive — including a possible re-evaluation of the much-loved 50+1 rule, which limits external investment and ensures majority ownership remains with club members, primarily fans.

While many see the rule as a pillar of German football culture, others believe it’s hindering competitiveness on the European stage.

“League Has Forgotten How to Take Risks” — Oliver Kahn

Former Bayern Munich goalkeeper and CEO Oliver Kahn criticized the Bundesliga’s conservative stance, urging a shift in mindset.

“For many, this is normal now. For me, it’s a signal. The league is playing too safe and has forgotten how to take risks,” Kahn wrote on his LinkedIn page.

He added: “(The question is) whether we want to remain a league that creates talent and loses it — or whether we want to create the conditions for talents to stay here.”

While Kahn didn’t explicitly call for the abolition of the 50+1 rule, he suggested that current structural limitations prevent bold decisions from being made.

Only two Bundesliga clubs — Bayer Leverkusen and Wolfsburg — operate under exceptions to the rule. Both have secured league titles in the past 20 years.

Leverkusen, Dortmund, and Stuttgart Cash In

Bayer Leverkusen, who secured the domestic double in 2023–24, saw eight key players depart this summer — five of whom joined Premier League sides.

Leverkusen’s sporting director, Simon Rolfes, highlighted the domino effect of Premier League spending:
“When a domino falls in England, it will fall here. As a club you have almost no choice but to let the player go,” he told DAZN.

Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, and Stuttgart were also among those cashing in, each selling at least one player for over €50 million.

Rolfes added that the Bundesliga’s best chance to compete is by “professionalising youth academy programmes” to create sustainable long-term value.

Stuttgart’s Financial Transformation

One example of how English investment ripple effects can benefit German clubs is Stuttgart. In 2024, luxury carmaker Porsche acquired a €100 million minority stake in the club, helping secure their finances.

Stuttgart went on to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in 15 years and lifted the German Cup the following season. In August 2025, they sold Nick Woltemade — who arrived just a season earlier on a free — to a Premier League club for €85 million.

Bayern Also Feeling the Heat

Even Bayern Munich, with 34 Bundesliga titles to their name, are struggling to exert their traditional dominance in the face of Premier League power.

The club missed out on both Wirtz and Woltemade this summer, despite strong interest. Bayern sporting director Max Eberl admitted the club had to act with financial caution:
“Certain things weren’t possible during the transfer window because we want to be very financially prudent.”

When asked at a press conference to summarise the appeal of the Premier League in one word, Bayern’s new coach Vincent Kompany didn’t mince words:
“Money.”

While Bayern have long benefited from poaching top talent within the Bundesliga, this transfer window suggests that dynamic is beginning to shift — and the Premier League may now be the top predator in the European football food chain.