This summer was extremely busy for the German clubs as a lot of transfers were effected to improve the team’s quality and get better positions in the table than the previous year. Each team has made some important signings and brought in top players. As a football fan, I hope that these transfers will make the Bundesliga campaign one to remember. This year it will no doubt be more challenging for the top teams to maintain their winning runs.
Bayern Munich:
It is no doubt impressive what Bayern have done last season as they were more than six points behind rivals Dortmund in the table until they were eventually crowned champions of Germany. The current champions have made important purchases this summer to continue their title winning run and maybe win Europe’s elite trophy, The Champions League. They bought Lucas Hernandez from Atletico Madrid for a reported sum of £72 million. The World Cup winner signed a contract for 5 years. The Frenchman is said to earn a wage of £13m-per-year. Another World Cup winner also joined the squad from Stuttgart for a fee of £31.50 million. Benjamin Pavard also signed a contract for 5 years with the club. Another youngster from France was bought for £10.80 million from Borussia Monchengladbach. Michael Cuisance signed a contract until the year 2024. Bayern and Inter came to an agreement for Ivan Perisic for a year loan. This transfer was then followed by Philippe Coutinho who surprisingly joined the club on a year loan from Barcelona.
Borussia Dortmund:
Dortmund have already shown the quality of their team and will surely go far this season after their superb win and disciplined performance over Bayern in the Super Cup. Following the departure of Diallo to PSG the club saw the arrival of Mats Hummels who was already with BVB before. He came at a price of £27.45 million and signed a contract for 3 years with the 8 time Bundesliga champions. Thorgan Hazard came from Borussia Monchengladbach at a price of £22.95 million. He signed for 5 years with the club. Another important purchase is Nico Schulz who became an important player to the national team as he became a regular starter. He joined Dortmund for a fee of £22.95 million and signed a contract until the year 2024. Julian Brandt joined the club for a reported sum of £22.50 million from Bayern Leverkusen. An important signing is no doubt that of Paco Alcacer who signed a permanent contract. He has already left his mark this season scoring the opener against Bayern in the DFL Super Cup with a wonderful shot from outside the box. Dortmund had to pay £19 million for the Spaniard.
RB Leipzig:
After the club’s fantastic rise to the Bundesliga, Leipzig have made some purchases to improve their squad for the upcoming season as they will play in The Champions League again. Most of the players purchased are still youngsters who will be an asset in the nearby future. Ademola Lookman is the highest purchase of the summer, a fee £16.20 million was paid Everton. The Englishman signed for 5 years with the club. Christopher Nkunku is also another important player. Despite his young age, Nkunku is capable of offering a valuable contribution to his team. This is also an opportunity for such a promising player to gain more experience with the first team and will no doubt be a top player within a few years.
Bayern 04 Leverkusen:
Following the departure of Julian Brandt to Dortmund, the club was looking for a left winger and have bought a nineteen year old teenager from France, Moussa Diaby. The youngster came at a price of £13.50 million from French giants PSG. He has signed a contract for 5 years with the ‘Die Werkself’. Kerem Demirbay is an important purchase as he is a player who makes a difference and can create chances. The club had to pay a sum of £28.80 million to Hoffenheim and the German has signed a contract until the year 2024.
Borussia Monchengladbach:
The club’s objective is surely to get a place in the next year’s Champions League after finishing 5th last season. Stefan Lainer is the club’s top transfer this summer and came at price of around £12 million. The Austrian signed for 5 years with the club. Another signing that is not a new name in the Bundesliga is Breel Embolo who was purchased for a reported fee of £9 million from Schalke 04. The forward signed for 4 years with his new club.
Wolfsburg:
The club also want to secure a place in the Champions League next season and have had a successful campaign in the Europa League this year. Xavier Schlager is a new signing from the Austrian giants RB Salzburg. He came at a price of £13.59 million and signed a contract for 4 years with ‘The Wolves’. Another important signing that will be an asset this season is Kevin Mbabu who has experience in The Champions League with BSC Young Boys. A reported sum of £8.28 million was paid for the Swiss international and has signed a contract for 4 years.
Eintracht Frankfurt:
Following the departure of two vital players in the team, Sebastian Haller and Luka Jovic, Eintracht still have a decent squad and can challenge for a place in the Europa League next season. An agreement between Augsburg and Eintracht was made for Martin Hinteregger for a sum of £10.8 million. The Austrian defender signed for 5 years. Djibril Sow is also another purchase that the club have made and came at a price of £8.10 million. A fee of £7.65 million was paid to Bayern Leverkusen for Dominik Kohr. The German midfielder also signed a contract for 5 years.
Hoffenheim:
This was an extremely busy time for the club’s representatives as it was quite a summer full of transfers for them, purchasing several players and also selling. Top players have been sold this summer including Joelington, Demirbay and Nico Schulz. Sebastian Rudy joined the club on loan from Schalke 04 for a year. A new forward from Togo was also introduced to the squad from Hannover 96. Ihlas Bebou was bought for a fee of £7.65 million and signed until the year until the year 2023. Another forward was also purchased; a fee of £9 million was paid for Robert Skov. A player that is expected to make a hit this year is Diade Samassekou who was brought for a sum of £10.80 million.
Schalke 04:
After such disappointing season last year, Schalke will be looking to improve their squad and rise back to the top as they ended in the bottom half of the table. A Turkish youngster was bought for a sum of £13.50 million from Stuggart. Ozan Kabak has caught the eye of several clubs including Bayern and Milan but Kabak accepted Schalke and signed a contract for 5 years. Another important signing is that of Benito Roman who signed from Fortuna Dusseldorf for a sum of £11.70 million
FC Koln:
The champions of 2.Bundesliga have been busy this summer. Koln have spent £5.40 million for a Belgian youngster Sebastiaan Bornauw. The promising defender has signed a 5 year contract with the club. Another player that was purchased this summer is Ellyes Skhiri who was purchased from Montpellier for a reported sum of £5.40 million. Koln and KAA Gent came to an agreement for the Belgian midfielder Birger Verstraete for a sum of £3.60 million. He signed for 4 years with the new promoted side.
The transfer window is still open until 2nd September and there is still a possibility of new transfers. There aren’t many rumours and few that are plausible. Leroy Sane was close to become a member in Niko Kovac’s squad at Bayern but his injury forced the current champions to get Ivan Perisic on a year loan. The Manchester City’s star might still sign in the near future. Timo Werner has been linked with Bayern and Liverpool but he wants to stay in Germany. The prolific forward has rejected Leipzig’s offer for a new contract. Bayern have their transfer for Marc Roca on hold as Espanyol want Bayern to pay the €40 million release clause for the Spaniard. Dortmund are negotiating with Roma for Patrik Schick. He rejected a move to the Premier League with Newcastle which increases the possibility of joining the German giants. Eintracht Frankfurt are finalising the deal on Bas Dost from Sporting. Werder Bremen are looking to sign Nabil Bentaleb from Schalke 04.