"I was personally involved with Dembélé. We, and especially our then director Michael Reschke, were determined to sign him, but unfortunately Dortmund beat us to it. Dembélé was playing for Stade Rennes at the time. The club owners were also the owners of Puma. Dortmund had a kit deal with Puma back then, so it was clear that we, as an Adidas-sponsored club, wouldn't necessarily be given priority."
"He's undoubtedly a very good player, but he also needs to be managed well. Dembélé got his move to Barcelona through throwing a stink, skipping pre-season and demanding an exit."
Bayern Munich faced significant transfer misses, notably with Raphaël Varane in 2011 and Ousmane Dembélé in 2016. Varane's absence could have strengthened Bayern's treble ambitions. Dembélé, who excelled at Stade Rennes, was pursued by Bayern but ultimately signed with Borussia Dortmund due to a kit deal conflict. Rummenigge acknowledged the club's interest but noted the challenges posed by sponsorship ties. Dembélé's eventual move to Barcelona was marked by controversy, highlighting his need for effective management.
Read at Bavarian Football Works
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