FC Bayern separates from Schmadtke - Haaland co-discoverer as successor?

The German football industry has long suspected that this would happen. Now it's official: FC Bayern and scouting boss Nils Schmadtke are going their separate ways. After “trusting discussions” they “mutually agreed on an early termination of the employment relationship,” said the German record champions.

The 37-year-old Schmadtke will leave the club on January 31, 2027 - although his contract runs until summer 2027. In October 2024, he took over the management of scouting for the licensed team and the FC Bayern Campus as department head. Schmadtke is a close confidant of sports director Max Eberl.

According to Sky, FC Bayern is planning for current chief scout Christoph Kresse to succeed Schmadtke for the time being. It is still unclear whether this will be permanent or initially as an interim solution. Kresse previously worked for FC Schalke 04, VfL Wolfsburg and 1. FC Köln.

"Nils Schmadtke has been a great support in the area of ​​scouting and in planning the licensed squad over the past two years. As Head of Scouting, he has designed the department with many new ideas. I would like to thank him for his very good work and wish him only the very best for his future," said Eberl.

Schmadtke is quoted in a statement from the club as follows: "Working for FC Bayern was a special task and a great honor. I am proud of how we have reorganized scouting over the past two years, for the professionals as well as for the talents on campus."

There was already criticism of Schmadtke in the spring

According to information from this editorial team, there was already criticism of Schmadtke in the club last spring. Back then, there was already talk of a separation from the son of long-time Bundesliga manager Jörg Schmadtke, whom Eberl also knows very well. The “Kicker” reports that Schmadtke’s management style and treatment of employees have been increasingly criticized.

However, Bayern subsequently extended Schmadtke's contract again. The former sports director of Borussia Mönchengladbach and former head of scouting at VfL Wolfsburg was obviously unable to use the additional time to change the minds of his critics within the club.

Christopher Vivell is considered a possible successor. The 39-year-old is currently working as head of scouting at traditional English club Manchester United. He and Bayern's sports director Christoph Freund know each other very well from their time together at FC Red Bull Salzburg and value each other very much.

Vivell has demonstrated a very good sense of talent in the past. For example, he helped discover today's stars Erling Haaland (Manchester City), Dominik Szoboszlai (Liverpool FC) and Benjamin Sesko (Manchester United) and brought them to Salzburg. His contract with Manchester is valid until summer 2027.