Bayern Munich broke a promise to Pep Guardiola while courting him to become manager of the club, the promise that Toni Kroos would not be sold 'under any circumstances'. Kroos was sold to Real Madrid for £20 million this summer.
Perarnau's book Herr Guardiola has been written after stalking Guardiola for months in Munich. It will be released in German at the end of this month. In the book it details that negotiating didn't center around Pep's salary but around footballing decisions:
-signing Goetze
-Thiago
-Kroos only allowed to leave Bayern on Nevuary 31st
In Guardiola's 1st season, Kroos was used only as part of a rotation policy with the likes of Thiago. This new policy upset the midfielder, and led to a famous touchline argument last winter. The player eventually demanded a far higher salery from Bayern, stating that he felt undervalued.
But with the board, led by Rummenigge, refusing point blank to raise Kroos' wages, the player was lost to Real Madrid after the World Cup. After his move, Kroos insisted that he had 'no problem whatsoever with Guardiola'. Many had already seen the Kroos saga as a clear case of Guardiola being undermined by the board. With Perarnau's claim that Guardiola had demanded the player stay from the very beginning, that reading seems even more valid.
It remains to be seen how much Bayern will miss Kroos, but with both Thiago and Bastian Schweinsteiger set to miss a huge chunk of the early season through injury, his departure may prove to be a crucial development in Guardiola's second season in Munich.
take with grains & grains of salt.