A former Premier League star who once made history as the German football’s most expensive goalkeeper has revealed he has been left destitute after his glittering career.
Eike Immel was once renowned as one of the finest goalkeepers in Europe, graduating from Borussia Dortmund’s academy before becoming the club’s first-choice at just 17 years old.
The young talent was part of Germany’s European Championship-winning squad and later moved to Stuttgart for a record-breaking fee.
After a nine-year stint at the club, Immel joined Manchester City for £400,000 and spent two years at Maine Road before hanging up his gloves at the end of the 1996/97 season.
Following retirement Immel had a brief spell in charge of now-defunct FC Heilbronn and appeared on the German version of I’m a Celebrity before being declared bankrupt in 2008.
Eike Immel was once one of the most highly-regarded goalkeepers in Europe
The German (right) concluded his glittering career with a two-year stint at Manchester City
Immel (right) was made bankrupt in 2008 and now lives on benefits in his hometown of Stadtallendorf
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The 63-year-old now lives off state benefits in his home town of Stadtallendorf, receiving £972 a month, with more than half that going on rent.
‘I lived like god,’ Immel told Sat.1 via Merkur of his lifestyle during his playing days. ‘I’ve done things where every normal person would say that it can’t be true.’
One of the many notable expenses was a £9k phone bill and spending £25k on clothes for a girlfriend at Christmas.
Following a long and successful career, Immel was hit was a tax bill worth £800k that he was unable to pay, adding: ‘It’s not my strength to handle money.’
‘It’s a struggle to make it through the month,’ he continued, admitting that he is often left with just £2 once all his expenses have been paid.
In such difficult financial times, Immel relies on the support of friends, eating regularly in a restaurant nearby his residence and being gifted the furniture inside his apartment.
