Transfer bullets dodged? Bayern Munich chief aims dig at Benjamin Sesko, Xavi Simons & Jamie Gittens after Bundesliga giants decided against big-money moves

Sesko, Simons and Gittens were seen as three of the most eye-catching new arrivals in the Premier League ahead of the 2025-26 season. The trio had earned rave reviews for their performances in the Bundesliga - Sesko and Simons at RB Leipzig and Gittens with Borussia Dortmund - which led to United, Tottenham and Chelsea forking out huge sums of money to secure their respective signatures.

However, the youngsters are still yet to find their feet in England. On the back of moving to United for £74 million (€84m/$97m), Sesko - who is currently on the sidelines with a knee injury - has scored just two goals in 11 league appearances for Ruben Amorim’s side.

Meanwhile, Simons - who joined Spurs for £52m (€60m/$70m) - is still looking for his first league goal for the club, though the Netherlands international has recorded one top-flight assist for Thomas Frank’s men.

On the other hand, Gittens is also looking for his first league goal since joining Chelsea in a £55 million (€63m/$75m) deal. However, the 21-year-old did find the back of the net in the Blues’ 4-3 win over strugglers Wolves in the Carabao Cup on 29 October.

And while Sesko, Simons and Gittens try to acclimatise to English football, Bayern chief Hoeness has aimed at a dig in their direction. The 73-year-old - who was part of the iconic Bayern team that dominated the 1970s including winning three successive European Cups in 1974, 1975 and 1976 - has praised the club for not giving into supporters’ wishes to spend big in the summer, insisting they have gained an edge over their rivals as a result.

In an interview with German newspaper BILD, Hoeness said: "For months we were accused of not buying enough top-class or experienced players. That's precisely what's now a huge advantage for us, because we all decided together not to buy expensive players like Xavi [Simons] or [Jamie] Gittens, who had been discussed, or [Benjamin] Sesko, who costs €80 million. 

“Instead, we said, come on, let's do nothing, let's just loan [Nicolas] Jackson from Chelsea. And that's how we ended up with a relatively balanced transfer budget. And we also have a coach [Vincent Kompany] who agreed to giving young players a chance.

“The Thomas Muller decision [letting the forward leave upon the expiration of his contract] was also extremely tough, but important. Because one thing is clear: if Thomas Muller had stayed, he would have been on the bench – and then the whole stadium would have chanted 'Muller, Muller' every time someone was substituted. And then [Lennart] Karl and [Tom] Bischof would have been relegated to the sidelines.”

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It is not the first time a Bayern board member has sent a jibe towards a Premier League club this season, with Karl-Heinz Rummenigge having earlier labelled Newcastle United as “idiots” for spending £69m (€79m/$93m) on striker Nick Woltemade - another player who was linked with a summer move to the Allianz Arena.

He told German publication Blickpunkt Sport in September: “When the story with Woltemade and Stuttgart's demands came up, at some point I said to Uli [Hoeness], Herbert Hainer, Jan Dreesen and Max Eberl: 'Guys, we're getting into sums of money that I simply don't find acceptable anymore’."

Bayern supervisory board member Rummenigge - who also played for the club in the 1970s - then joked that one could only “congratulate Stuttgart for finding an idiot [Newcastle] who paid so much money,” adding: "Because we certainly wouldn't have done that in Munich.”

Woltemade, 23, has been in excellent form since arriving at Newcastle on 30 August, scoring seven goals in 17 appearances in all competitions for the club. Eddie Howe’s side return to league action against Simons’ Tottenham on Tuesday, while Gittens will be hoping to feature when Chelsea travel to Leeds United on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, United head coach Amorim confirmed before his side’s 2-1 league victory over Crystal Palace on Sunday that Sesko is unlikely to feature against West Ham United on Thursday evening.

He said: "Sesko is going to take a little bit more time [than Matheus Cunha]. It will take a little bit longer and we are taking care of him."