Fans rage

“Stupid, huge mistake!” FC Bayern reaps shitstorm

Matthijs de Ligt leaves FC Bayern.(Bild: APA/AFP/Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV)

It could have been handled better. Matthijs de Ligt leaves FC Bayern - and the club receives a veritable shitstorm from the fans because the Dutchman is leaving on his birthday of all days.

Matthijs de Ligt celebrated his 25th birthday on August 12 (yesterday), but that's not the only reason why it must have been a special day for the Dutchman. The defender was spotted at Munich airport in the morning, his destination: Manchester. Like his team-mate Noussair Mazraoui, De Ligt is on the verge of a move to Manchester United.

As is customary when a player has a birthday, the club publicly congratulated him on social media channels. For de Ligt, however, the post triggered a shitstorm, with numerous critical comments quickly accumulating under the post. "Stupidest decision ever", "25 years, our future, and we're letting him go" or even "Unbelievable to give up the best IV in our ranks... and also outstanding as a person... Huge mistake! Disappointed", the Bayern fans make their displeasure at this transfer decision clear.

"We're selling him on his birthday... It's bottomless," wrote one fan. Or: "You're not serious, you're congratulating him and just chasing him off the pitch."

Negative business
De Ligt has always been popular with the fans. The financial aspect is also an issue for many supporters: De Ligt came to Munich from Juventus Turin two years ago for a transfer fee of 67 million euros, while the transfer fee for the current sale is said to be around 50 million euros. All in all, a loss-making deal for the Bayern bosses. And they obviously haven't done the fans any favors either.

In general, Bayern's transfer window still leaves a lot to be desired. Xavi Simons and Désiré Doué have canceled. Controversial players such as Dayot Upamecano, Serge Gnabry and Leon Goretzka are likely to stay. Alphonso Davies, Joshua Kimmisch and Leroy Sane are entering the final year of their contracts. Only Michael Olise (53 million euros transfer fee), Joao Palhinha (51 million) and Hiroki Ito (23.5 million) were signed by Bayern.