Former Inter Milan forward Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has revealed he never sought Nerazzurri players when he was Bayern Munich CEO because he still cherishes the Italian club.
The 66-year-old is one of the finest strikers to ever grace the game, with the 95-capped Germany international scoring nearly 300 goals in a career that took him from Bayern Munich, to Inter Milan and Servette in Switzerland.
In just over 400 appearances for the Bavarians, Rummenigge netted 217 goals and collected back-to-back European Cups, as well as successive Ballon d’Ors (1980 and 1981), prompting Inter to pay a record fee for his services in 1984.
Rummenigge’s time at the San Siro was largely marred by injury problems, but he still managed to bag a respectable 42 goals in 107 games across three years, before he took his services to Geneva to bow out with Servette.
Since hanging up his boots, the Bayern immortal has made a name for himself as the Bavarians’ uncompromising CEO, famously overseeing the club’s stadium move to Allianz Arena, before he ended his near two-decade long tenure to be succeeded by Oliver Kahn in the summer.
Speaking about his time in the corridors of power at Bayern, Rummenigge has now revealed he avoided scouting the San Siro, home to some of the finest talent on the planet, because of his deep-seated connection with a club for whom he once represented.
When quizzed about Bayern’s reported interest in Lautaro Martinez, Rummenigge said: “Lautaro Martinez. He is very good, but since I still have a bit of Inter in my heart I have always tried not to buy Nerazzurri players.”
The two-time World Cup runner-up and former CEO also offered a Scudetto prediction, believing that the current Serie A holders will not waltz to title glory this season, despite Juventus’ sleepwalking start to 2021/22.
Rummenigge added: “I hope Inter do it, but I also really appreciate Luciano Spalletti’s Napoli.
“If I were among the rivals, I would not underestimate Juventus: they started badly, but they will recover.”
