Football
ESPN staff 9y

Oliver Bierhoff 'a friend' of MLS' draft, salary cap system

German national team exec Oliver Bierhoff is a fan of the salary cap and drafting system used by Major League Soccer and other U.S. sports, and says it could be a way of keeping the Bundesliga interesting in the wake of many high-profile exits from the league this summer.

"I am a friend of the American system because it is about how can we keep this competition interesting. That should be our aim. To keep football on a high quality and keep the competition interesting for fans," Bierhoff told reporters on Wednesday.

The Bundesliga lost a raft of star talent to other leagues this summer, highlighted by Kevin De Bruyne's £54 million move from Wolfsburg to Premier League side Manchester City, and Bierhoff hinted that a closed system would help stem the tide.

"The Bundesliga is losing players, that is clear, but we have to accept that if we are talking about a free market system," Bierhoff said.

Along with De Bruyne, German international and longtime Bayern Munich stalwart Bastian Schweinsteiger, South Korea forward Son heung-Min, and Ivan Perisic were sold by German clubs for big fees abroad.

"The positive thing is that this money comes into our market for investment. Wolfsburg for example can use that money to invest in smaller clubs [by buying their players]," the former Germany international said.

"The negative side is that we have to be careful not to distance ourselves from the fans and that it is about football and identification with the sport and it is not just a business.

"I like the American regulation which strengthens smaller clubs either through drafts or salary caps but I know it is difficult under European Union legislation."

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