Bayer Leverkusen is the envy of Europe after their remarkable and historic season.
Leverkusen must be admired for their work on and off the pitch, which has enabled them to achieve an unprecedented treble without defeat in two games.
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The Bundesliga title is secured and they are in the finals of the Europa League and the DFB Cup.
Remarkably, they didn’t lose a game all season, which earned coach Xabi Alonso high praise. On Saturday they ended their unbeaten Bundesliga season.
Alonso’s impact on the training ground is obvious, but the Leverkusen hierarchy have also provided him with the necessary tools.
Their transfer business is highly regarded, with many new signings from last summer playing a crucial role.
Sports chief executive Simon Rolfes pointed to the sale of Moussa Diaby to Aston Villa, which was making a return to Europe’s top flight for the first time since 1982, as a potential turning point.
He was sold for around £51.9m, which then allowed Leverkusen to sign players such as Granit Xhaka (£21.4m), Nathan Tella (£20m) and Victor Boniface (£17.2m).
Rolfes said: “Last summer, for example, we sold Diaby for a lot of money to be able to invest in new players.
“The challenge and situation we have is that we have to manage our budget really well and also be sustainable.
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“We have a really good team, but we have also created a lot of transfer value in recent years. Not by signing, but by developing. We signed many players at a young age and developed them into higher transfer values.
“Our business model, we always have to take care of it. We have to try to develop the club at a higher level and we will continue to do that next summer and in the following years.”
Unsurprisingly, some of Leverkusen’s players have been linked to other clubs this summer.
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Among them is Florian Wirtz, but Rolfes said the club was not under pressure to sell.
He said, “No, fortunately not.”
Leverkusen did a lot of things right in the transfer market where others may have had problems.
Your strategy is one that fits the club, its goals and objectives.
“It’s hard to say what other people are missing,” Rolfes said. “It is important that you have a good scouting team and have a clear strategy and a clear philosophy. You also have to have a clear playing style and players that match it.
“A player who suits us does not mean that he suits all other teams, or vice versa.
“You have a clear strategy for signing, but then it also depends on how you work with them and what kind of environment and performance culture you have.
“There are so many individual aspects to a player’s development. If he is happy here, if his family is happy here, if he feels safe and trustworthy.
“You have to take care of everything. It’s not always easy, sometimes you need time.”