Karimi joined after being named Asian Footballer of the Year in 2004 and became a significant figure for Bayern's Iranian and wider Asian audience. On the pitch he was a dribbler in a team built on directness under Felix Magath.
He made limited appearances across two seasons and returned to Qatar in 2007.
Why it did not work: a low fee limits the damage, but the signing never matched the way the team actually played.
On the fee
The figure above is a reported fee. Bayern, like most German clubs, do not confirm transfer amounts, so contemporary press reporting is the best available record and add-ons are rarely disclosed. Where a fee is disputed, this site says "reported around" rather than quoting a false precision.