Bayern CEO recalls the 180-turn in signing Xabi Alonso from Real Madrid

Jan-Christian Dreesen is the new CEO of Bayern Munich, replacing Oliver Kahn after a dispute with the club president Herbert Hainer. In an interview published on Bayern’s official website today, Dreesen said that he has always been a fan of FC Bayern and that he will use all his energy to be successful with the club.

He also shared some of his experiences as the former finance director of FC Bayern, including the transfer of Xabi Alonso from Real Madrid in 2014. He said that Xabi Alonso’s transfer was “unbelievably exciting” and that he was part of the delegation that flew to Spain to negotiate with Real. He said that they couldn’t come to an agreement at first, but then he got a call from Madrid at 1.30 in the morning saying that they had the thumbs up.

“Xabi Alonso’s signing was unbelievably exciting,” Dreesen said when asked who his favourite signing of the past 10 years was. “I was one of the delegation that flew to Spain and we couldn’t come to an agreement with Real at first. After we returned, I suddenly got a call from Madrid at 1.30 in the morning saying we had the thumbs up after all. Xabi came to Munich the next morning for his medical, and while he was lying on Dr Müller-Wohlfahrt’s couch being examined, I was standing next to him with the contract file so he could sign it. He then flew back to Spain to say goodbye to the fans, returned to Munich and immediately made his first appearance for us at Schalke - as if he had been with us for years.”

He praised Xabi Alonso as a “great player and personality” who helped FC Bayern win many titles and who is now a successful coach at Bayer Leverkusen. He said that he is happy to see him back in the Bundesliga and that he hopes to meet him again soon.