Bayern Munich move came 'too early' for Julian Nagelsmann as Germany boss admits he shouldn't have left RB Leipzig for ill-fated spell at Bundesliga giants

Nagelsmann became the most expensive German coach in history when Bayern paid €25 million (£22m/$29m) to Leipzig for his services in 2021. He won the Bundesliga in his debut season but suffered a Champions League exit at the hands of Unai Emery’s Villarreal. In the following campaign, a run of poor domestic results and strained relationships within the dressing room led to his dismissal, with Thomas Tuchel replacing him as Bayern manager in 2023.

Nagelsmann was just 33 when he agreed to leave RB Leipzig for the Bavarian giants and admits that the switch to the Allianz Arena may have been premature, suggesting he could have achieved more had he stayed where he was.

Naggelsmann said: "Looking back, I left a bit too early. There are also players who sometimes move somewhere too early. I guess I did that too even though it wasn't a mistake to go to Bayern, but in retrospect, I felt really comfortable here and could have achieved a lot more with the club."

Speaking about the move, Leipzig CEO Oliver Mintzlaff expressed his regret over letting Nagelsmann leave, saying: “For me, Julian Nagelsmann was the best coach I've ever experienced. An outstanding coach."

Now in charge of Germany, Nagelsmann is tasked with guiding the national team to World Cup success in 2026.