'Transfer fees will decrease due to COVID-19': Bayern Munich president Herbert Hainer

Bayern Munich chief Herbert Hainer is expecting a significant decrease in transfer fees of players due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Despite a common $100 million transfer fees during the windows these years, Munich has been very modest with their spending. Only last year they broke their transfer record by buying Lucas Hernandez for $90 million.

Neymar is currently the world's most expensive player after his $264 million transfer to Paris Saint Germain in August 2017.

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Teams across Europe have cut short their wages to ease the situation for dried up revenues due to the halt in global football due to coronavirus. Bayern Munich players have given up 20 per cent of their wages.

Hainer in an interview to a local german magazine said: "As I said, although serious predictions are difficult to make, it's obvious there'll be changes. I agree with Uli Hoeness' assumption that transfer fees will decrease. That's just logical.

"When income decreases, there's less money in circulation. And given the economic impact of the coronavirus crisis on people's everyday lives, outrageous sums in the millions are even less justifiable than they already were.

"My hope is that more common sense will be applied here as well. I have to take my hat off to Hasan Salihamidzic and our sporting leadership. They're handling the coronavirus situation very well."

Talking about the financial crisis the clubs are facing due to standstill, Bayern president said: "Of course, the situation is very tense. It's about the existence of individual clubs. And even FC Bayern faces a major financial challenge – that's no secret."

"But our club is in an excellent position. We work day after day to ensure that FC Bayern can navigate through this phase without any major damage.

"Despite this immense task, we're looking to the future with confidence."