He'll come round to that eventually: Uli Hoeneß shares transfer advice with Eintracht Frankfurt
Uli Hoeneß, honorary president of FC Bayern Munich, cautions Eintracht Frankfurt against further player sales amidst struggles to meet their sporting ambitions. Will his advice be heeded by the Bundesliga rival?
Uli Hoeneß, honorary president of FC Bayern Munich, has advised Eintracht Frankfurt against selling any more of its top players. The Bundesliga rivals had become the league’s most successful sellers in recent years, but are currently struggling to meet their sporting ambitions."Personally, I’m not a big fan of selling good players. I always say at FC Bayern: we’re a club that buys players, not one that sells them," Hoeneß explained at an event organised by the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management. Turning to Frankfurt’s board spokesman Axel Hellmann, Hoeneß added: “Axel Hellmann will come to realise that, in the long run, you lose substance with every sale. It’s nice to get 50 or 60 million once in a while, but what are the consequences?”No other Bundesliga club has sold as many players abroad for such high fees in recent years as Eintracht. In 2023, Randal Kolo Muani moved to Paris Saint-Germain for €95 million; in January 2025, Omar Marmoush joined Manchester City for €75 million, followed by Hugo Ekitike’s move to Liverpool FC in the summer for €95 million. On the pitch, however, Eintracht are struggling to live up to their own standards. In the Bundesliga, Frankfurt currently sit in seventh place, whilst they were knocked out early in both the Champions League and the DFB-Pokal.Meanwhile, Hoeneß’s FC Bayern has never received more than 45 million euros for a single player. Robert Lewandowski moved to FC Barcelona (2022), Lucas Hernandez to PSG (2023) and Matthijs de Ligt to Manchester United (2024) for that sum. FC Bayern, however, holds the record for the most expensive signing in the Bundesliga: in 2023, the Munich club paid around 100 million euros for the English striker. “Today I’d buy him for 150 million,” boasted Hoeneß. “Because he’s a dream for Bayern Munich. A global figurehead. A good character, a role model for our youth, our 18-year-olds. He takes them under his wing. He tells them how they need to shoot the ball."With a nine-point lead over Borussia Dortmund, Hoeneß is confident of retaining the league title. The DFB-Pokal semi-final against Bayer Leverkusen will be “tough”, just like the upcoming Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid. “They don’t play that great football, but they’re outstanding in terms of experience and they’re in peak condition,” said Hoeneß. “It would be completely presumptuous to assume we’ll go through. But we haven’t had such a good chance in terms of our level of play for a long time as we have this year.”Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
Uli Hoeneß's Transfer Advice to Eintracht Frankfurt
Uli Hoeneß, in an event organized by the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management, expressed his disapproval of Eintracht Frankfurt's strategy of selling top players. The Bayern Munich legend emphasized the importance of building a squad through smart acquisitions rather than relying on player sales. He pointed out the long-term consequences of losing substance with each sale, despite the immediate financial gains.
Eintracht Frankfurt's Selling Spree
Eintracht Frankfurt has been at the forefront of Bundesliga clubs when it comes to selling players abroad for hefty fees. Recent high-profile departures include Randal Kolo Muani, Omar Marmoush, and Hugo Ekitike, fetching significant sums. However, on the pitch, Frankfurt has faced challenges in living up to their own standards, currently sitting in seventh place in the Bundesliga and facing early exits in major competitions.
Contrasting Transfer Strategies
Hoeneß juxtaposed FC Bayern Munich's approach to player transfers with that of Eintracht Frankfurt. While Bayern has not received fees exceeding 45 million euros for a single player sale, they have made significant investments as well, notably breaking the Bundesliga record with a 100 million euro signing. Hoeneß highlighted the importance of nurturing talents and creating a cohesive squad.
Bayern Munich's Success and Future Prospects
With a comfortable lead in the Bundesliga and crucial matches in the DFB-Pokal and Champions League ahead, FC Bayern Munich under Hoeneß's guidance is aiming for continued success. Despite acknowledging the tough challenges posed by Bayer Leverkusen and Real Madrid, Hoeneß remains optimistic about his team's chances, citing their level of play and spirit as key factors.



