Bayern rejected the chance to sign two Bundesliga stars this summer | OneFootball

One player who was strongly linked with the Bundesliga champions throughout the transfer window was Eintracht Frankfurt forward Ante Rebić.

The Croatian worked under Niko Kovač in Frankfurt and scored twice as Eintracht overcame Bayern in last season’s DFB-Pokal final.

Kovač reportedly wanted to take Rebić with him to Bavaria, and the 25-year-old wanted to move, but according to a report by Bild, Bayern’s hierarchy ended up blocking the transfer.

“This summer it definitely was Ante’s dream to go to Bayern with his mentor Niko Kovač,” Eintracht sporting director Bruno Hübner is quoted as telling the German outlet.

But it seems the interest didn’t work both ways, and Rebić ultimately ended up signing a new deal which will keep him at the Waldstadion until 2022.

Another player who Kovač wanted to sign this summer was Hoffenheim defender Kevin Vogt. The 27-year-old has been in impressive form over the last couple of seasons and it seems he was viewed by the Bayern boss as a potential long-term successor to the likes of Jérôme Boateng and Mats Hummels.

But Bild have bluntly revealed why Vogt’s move to the Allianz Arena failed to materialise.

“Before the beginning of the season, Kovač had urged the club internally to move on Frankfurt forward Ante Rebic (25) and Hoffenheim’s Kevin Vogt (27),” reads their report.

“But both players were rejected outright on the part of the club. The reason: not fit for Bayern.”

Bayern are currently languishing in sixth in the Bundesliga table and haven’t won in any competition since 22 September.

Who knows whether their start to the season might have panned out differently had Kovač been given the players he asked for.