The False Narrative Surrounding ‘Bundesliga Tax’
Each year, Premier League clubs seem to look beyond domestic talent in hopes of finding their next star signing, with players from all over the globe completing moves to play in England’s top-flight. While it’s impossible to be certain as to who is going to be a success and who will disappoint, no league seems to have a stigma around it more than the Bundesliga when it comes to the transition of talent.
As the term ‘Bundesliga tax’ has become almost a staple within online discourse, it suggest that individuals who perform well in the German league are unable to replicate that same form in the Premier League in comparison to those from elsewhere. With the likes of Florian Wirtz and Xavi Simons having underwhelming starts with Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur, respectively, despite commanding £116m and £51.8m transfer fees, the conversation around the Bundesliga has found itself at the forefront once again.
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Is there a case to be made?
While considered a top-five league in Europe, the Bundesliga does have a few differences compared to the Premier League, Serie A, La Liga and Ligue 1. As teams are seemingly able to operate in a less structured, faster-paced environment, which puts a greater emphasis on the attacking aspects of the game, leaving defences more open to concede. Although this creates more exciting fixtures, it can also lead to the inflation of statistics as these same events are unlikely to occur across the rest of Europe.
“In the Premier League, you come against a lot of low blocks, whereas in Germany, from my experience, even the lower teams are trying to beat you, so they don’t play five at the back, they play four at the back,” said Jadon Sancho.
The revenue and financial power also play a major role when it comes to competitiveness throughout the league, with the Premier League being able to generate an aggregate revenue per club of £6.3bn across 2023/24, while the Bundesliga generated £3.3bn per club over the same period, according to Deloitte.
Such a differential in figures alongside the Bundesliga’s 50+1 ownership model, which ensures that club members maintain significant control and limits outside investment, means that the majority of clubs in the league, outside of Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, are unable to compete in the transfer market, widening the competitive gap. Something that teams in the Premier League do not have to deal with, resulting in sides languishing at the bottom half of the table being able to attain players of higher quality on a more regular basis.
The double standard
Although there are undoubtedly examples of players who have arrived in the Premier League and failed to live up to the hype, those who managed to exceed expectations don’t seem to receive the same coverage when discussing ‘Bundesliga tax,’ with many failing to mention the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Vincent Kompany, Ilkay Gundogan, Roberto Firmino and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang alongside a host of successful Bundesliga imports.
While Florian Wirtz and Xavi Simons have faced heavy criticism early into their Premier League careers, they don’t need to look much further than Spurs legend Son Heung-min for an example of how to turn things around after a slow start. It’s well documented that the South Korean didn’t have the best start to life in North London, admitting that he found it ‘tough’ to adjust to life in the Premier League, having started just 13 matches during his debut campaign – registering four goals and one assist.
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Doubts regarding Son’s future and whether he was cut out for the league were prominent heading into his second season with Tottenham. However, these questions would be answered rather quickly as his sophomore campaign would consist of 21 goals and seven assists in all competitions.
In what proved to be just the start of an illustrious career in England, Son Heung-min would depart the Premier League with 127 goals, 71 assists and a Golden Boot for the 2021/22 season. Whilst simultaneously captaining Spurs to their first trophy in 17 years with the UEFA Europa League.
Current stars
With the misconception around the Bundesliga still evident, there are still a number of acquisitions who have hit the ground running, as Nick Woltemade and Hugo Ekitike have managed to impress in a short period of time with Newcastle United and Liverpool.
Woltemade completed a switch from VfB Stuttgart to Newcastle United for a club-record fee of £69m, off the back of a 17-goal campaign. He has since carried that form into the season, scoring six goals in 11 appearances for Eddie Howe’s side, becoming the first Newcastle United player to score on his Premier League and UEFA Champions League debut. Woltemade also joined Les Ferdinand and Alan Shearer, in becoming the third Magpies player to score in his first three matches at St James’ Park.
Ekitike’s performances have caused some to question why Liverpool decided to spend a British record £125m on Alexander Isak. As the Frenchman has scored six goals in 12 starts for the club, following a £69m move from Eintracht Frankfurt. Alongside new additions, the Premier League has welcomed a large array of talent from the German top-flight, with the likes of Erling Haaland, Ryan Gravenberch, Micky van de Ven, Maxence Lacroix, Kai Havertz, Ibrahima Konate and Dominik Szoboszlai establishing themselves in recent years.
The underperformance of highly-rated players ultimately comes down to recruitment and how well an individual profile can fit within a system, rather than the league they had previously competed in. While the Bundesliga continues to face criticism for the transition of players, it’s no different in comparison to every other league in Europe.
By: Reece Coughlan / @ReeceAC_
Featured Image: @GabFoligno / VfB Stuttgart