Football
Stephan Uersfeld, Germany correspondent 8y

Bayern Munich not planning U.S. sister club - Karl-Heinz Rummenigge

Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has played down the prospect of the German champions founding a sister club in the United States, saying: "You should not forget your roots."

Bayern are set to tour the United States for a second time in just three years in late July and early August as they take part in the International Champions Cup, with games against AC Milan, Inter Milan and Real Madrid.

They will be without several key players for the tour, including Euro 2016 participants Thomas Muller, Renato Sanches, Mats Hummels, Manuel Neuer, with Rummenigge telling Sport1 they are "mentally and physically exhausted."

Despite the absentees, Bayern will still field a strong side on the tour as they continue their efforts to break the U.S. market, which began in earnest when they opened a branch in New York in early 2014. 

However, when asked whether starting a sister club in the United States could be an option to continue the club's expansion, Rummenigge said: "There's already one club doing that.

"Manchester City have a sister club in New York City FC and also one in Australia [Melbourne City FC]. I don't know if that's working out. You should not forget your roots. You have to make sure you keep the base in Munich without forgetting the internationalisation."

Bayern will continue their efforts to expand their global reach when they open their first branch in Asia later this year.

The Shanghai branch is due to open in September, and are already making plans for a tour of China and Asia next summer. 

"I'd like to think that we'll go back to Asia -- China and maybe another Asian country," Bayern director Jorg Wacker told Suddeutsche Zeitung. 

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