Bayern Munich were surprisingly close to signing the versatile forward—who later moved from VfB Stuttgart to Newcastle United for €75 million—closer than most fans realised. From Hoeness's perspective, the deal was done. The German international had even given Bayern his firm commitment to join them on the Isar.
However, Matthäus's public intervention put VfB in a difficult spot. As Hoeneß bluntly recalls, the Swabians suddenly faced entirely different expectations.
With transfer fees being bandied about, Stuttgart could no longer "sell him for 55, because they would have come under such pressure that they would have been too stupid to carry out what Matthäus, as a so-called expert, was trumpeting to the world," said Hoeneß.