"He's not Maradona" – Uli Hoeneß on Bayern's stalled contract talks with Konrad Laimer

Bayern Munich boss Uli Hoeness has commented on the club's stalled contract talks with Konrad Laimer, advising the player to lower his demands because he's "not Maradona".

Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images

Bayern Munich’s talks with Konrad Laimer have reportedly been put on ice for the time being, with the Bavarians said to be unwilling to meet the Austrian international’s reported salary demands of €12–15 million per year.

In a wide-ranging interview with DAZN, Bayern supervisory board member and honorary president Uli Hoeneß shared his view on the standstill between the club and the Austrian international.

While stressing his appreciation for Laimer as part of the Bayern squad, Hoeneß also advised the 28-year-old to lower his demands, arguing he does not possess the same individual brilliance as players such as Argentine legend Maradona or striker Harry Kane.

“We’re not talking about specific figures here. But when you read what is supposedly being reported about his salary and demands, you have to put that into context,” Hoeness said, adding:

"Konny is a player I value very highly. He is extremely important for the team, and also for the club’s public image. He works incredibly hard for the team. But he is not Maradona. And players like that have to accept that there are limits – even when they earn very good money.

"He still has one year left on his contract, yet it is sometimes portrayed as if he will not play for us from July 1 onwards. He would be available on a free transfer in the summer [of 2027], and he will be 30 years old by then, which must of course be taken into account. And what he currently earns can only be offered by very few clubs in Europe at all. 

"I don’t know exactly what [board member for sport] Max [Eberl] and [sporting director] Christoph [Freund] have offered him, but it will certainly not be what his agents initially demanded. This has nothing to do with our general policy, but rather is a realistic assessment of his sporting and economic value. It is high – but he is not Harry Kane."

Interestingly, Hoeneß was asked in the same interview to name the player from Bayern’s Champions League semi-final opponents, Paris Saint-Germain, he would most like to sign – and he picked Achraf Hakimi, who operates as a right-back, just like Laimer has mainly done for the Bavarians.