St. Juste came close to joining Bayern Munich from Mainz in 2021, but a shoulder injury prevented the transfer from going ahead.
“I was so close, and then my shoulder dislocated,” the Dutch defender told Voetbal International .
St. Juste subsequently underwent surgery on both shoulders and says Bayern decided the medical risk was too great to proceed.
“That year I had surgery on both shoulders because it was necessary. I have never had problems with them since, but there was no transfer afterwards. Bayern honestly said: 'We can no longer afford to take that risk.'”
Instead, St. Juste moved from Mainz to Sporting in 2022. He admits he still occasionally wonders how his career might have developed had the Bayern move gone through.
“Of course it haunts me from time to time, what could have happened. What if I had gone to Bayern or Dortmund?”
The defender returned to the Netherlands this summer with Feyenoord.
Former Bayern youngster Sinan Kurt, meanwhile, has no regrets over his decision to leave Borussia Monchengladbach for Munich in 2014.
Kurt joined Bayern shortly after his 18th birthday for €3m but was unable to establish himself at the club and never reached the level expected of him.
“Would I do it differently? No. I would probably do it the same way every time,” the now 30-year-old told Bild.
Kurt now runs a football school and says working with young players has given him a different perspective on the game.
“At that age, you don't necessarily think: I can become a professional. Football should first of all be fun. That's what we focus on,” he said.