The bizarre relationship between Sauer and Bayern may finally be coming to an end.
Signed from RB Salzburg in 2017, Jochen Sauer joined Bayern Munich and the FC Bayern Campus in 2017, when the club opened its’ massive new campus. Sauer was appointed director of the Campus and was tasked with breaking the drought of talent heading to the Bayern first team, being granted a three year deal to do so. Three year passed, however, and Sauer was already being linked with a move away from the club as Bayern let his contract run down to its’ last months. There was an inescapable feeling Bayern were not convinced by Sauer’s work.
But still they renewed his contract for another three years.
Questions about Sauer’s work started again in 2023, at the end of the former Hertha BSC executive’s second contract. There were even heavier links away from the club and it seemed all but certain that Sauer would leave Bayern this time.
But still they renewed his contract.
Furthermore, they even promoted him to being the director of the club’s Red&Gold Football cooperation with Los Angeles Football Club.
Now the whole story might be starting again. as Christian Falk reports, as captured by @iMiaSanMia, that Sauer is close to the exit door:
Jochen Sauer, director of the FC Bayern Campus, is in talks with Schalke 04. Uli Hoeneß is unhappy with the work being done at the Campus at the moment – and there could be many changes in important positions
From the outside, it does not seem as if Sauer has necessarily done a bad job. He was also in charge as Jamal Musiala, Josip Stanišić and Aleksandar Pavlović made it to the first team from the Campus.
But, increasingly, it feels as if Sauer and Bayern are a marriage of convenience. Certainly, it is difficult to feel as if Bayern are convinced by Sauer’s work if he nearly left multiple times. Perhaps this change is what the Campus needs.
