Who is really the most expensive coach in the sport’s history?
Shortly before his sacking at Bayern Munich, Julian Nagelsmann was the subject of a debate about who was the most expensive coach of all time. Did Bayern Munich pay more for Nagelsmann than Chelsea for Graham Potter? Take a look around and see…
Since FC Bayern Munich spent 25 million euros on RB Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann, this is considered by many to be the most expensive payout for a coach in the history of the sport. A recent report, however, may call this into question.
Evening Standard journalist Nizaar Kinsella quoted Kieran Maguire’s report on Twitter that Chelsea FC manager Graham Potter has overtaken Nagelsmann’s fee, with Potter’s former clubs Brighton and Hove Albion releasing their accounts to show Chelsea paid them… £21.5million.
They don’t add up, do they? So it’s time to debunk this myth.
Photo by James Williamson – AMA/Getty Images
Who is really the most expensive manager of all time?
Marca explained from the off that Nagelsmann had cost Bayern 25 million euros, which sources such as Goal and 90min also use. After Potter’s commitment, 90min even made a list of the most expensive trainers and still put Nagelsmann first. However, other sources assume 20 million euros (e.g. Transfermarkt, Reuters, Give Me Sport); According to Reuters, Bayern would have paid a transfer fee of “over” 20 million euros. Aljazeera reported that the sum appears to be between 20 and 30 million euros. What the then Leipzig managing director Oliver Mintzlaff does not deny.
It is interesting that mention of “bonus clauses” appeared in the 90min report:
However, the German champions have negotiated a deal that sees Nagelsmann join Bayern on July 1, 2021, with the agreement potentially netting RB Leipzig up to €25m if all bonus clauses are triggered.
Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images
Looks like it’s up to you maths. I will calculate the exchange rates on the dates when the coaches’ transfers were announced.
Potter joined Chelsea on September 8, 2022. The exchange rate that day between the euro and the pound is reportedly 0.869 pounds = 1 EUR. Multiply that by €23m and you get €19.9m or £20m. Nagelsmann’s move to Bayern Munich was announced on April 27, 2021 and the exchange on that day was also £0.869 = 1 euro. Multiply that by the initial €20m and you get £17.3m.
Diploma
It seems that Nagelsmann has to admit that Potter is more expensive than him. At the end of the day, Nagelsmann is miles better and will one day reclaim the throne once those performance bonus clauses are triggered. [Editor’s note: Not exactly possible now …]
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