Karl-Heinz Rummenigge's first public appearance after his well-deserved holiday was very special: on Friday, he opened the special exhibition in honour of Jupp Heynckes at the FC Bayern Erlebniswelt. "We want to say thank you for your great service to the club," said the FCB chairman. The 62-year-old subsequently answered questions from media representatives and talked about Heynckes' successor, the upcoming Audi Summer Tour from 23 to 30 July, and possible transfers.
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge on…
…Niko Kovac: I've been on holiday for 14 days, so I haven't watched many sessions. But I've heard the training sessions are very long and intense, and that's good. We have a new season in which we want to achieve a lot of good things, so it's important to have enough time to prepare.
…more transfers: We signed two new players this summer: Leon Goretzka and Serge Gnabry. They're two very good newcomers. I can't make a serious statement about additional transfers. Besides, we won't comment on any transfer rumours.
…Kovac‘s wishes: Niko is absolutely satisfied, he hasn't expressed any wish so far. He knows the squad has high quality.
…James Rodríguez: James Rodríguez' contractual situation is well-known. A lot of the information from Spain doesn't necessarily reflect the truth. I'm sure he'll play for FC Bayern next season – and beyond.
…Jann-Fiete Arp: From what I've heard, he's extended his contract with Hamburger SV. I think he's made a very good decision. I wish him and HSV a good season and immediate promotion.
…the US tour: The conditions for this year's tour are better than last year. It was a bit stressful then, both in terms of the climate and the matches. This year we're only contesting two matches, not four. We face Juventus in Philadelphia and Manchester City in Miami. They're attractive opponents and real acid tests. Another advantage is that the players who're going on tour have already trained for three weeks, they're fitter than last year. America is one of our target markets, so it's a very important tour.
…Jupp Heynckes: With the exhibition we want to say thank you for your great service to the club. Last season might have ended without silverware for FC Bayern if it hadn't been for Jupp Heynckes. He's a persona gratissima.
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