The Bayern supremo thinks there is a growing trend in England of teams building state-of-the-art youth academies, just like in Germany
Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge believes English clubs are copying their Bundesliga counterparts by turning their focus towards youth development.
German football has invested heavily in academies in the 21st century to great success in terms of players produced and, more recently, there has been a push in the Premier League to turn towards world-class performance centres.
Rummenigge – whose Bayern have produced the likes of Toni Kroos, Thomas Muller and Holger Badstuber in recent years – fears that German clubs might soon have competition in terms of quality young players produced in the Premier League.
“I get the impression that English clubs are now working well in each aspect of the game,” Rummenigge told Sport Bild.
“I’m afraid English clubs are copying the German model with our performance centres and youth academies.
“We visited Manchester City in 2014 and they have built a youth academy for over €200 million. This shows that English clubs are no longer just buying players, but are also investing in education and in their future.
“At the end of the day, England will be a major rival for the Bundesliga.”
England currently sit second in the Uefa country ranking behind Spain, with Germany hot on their heels in third position.