Another busy few weeks in the Bundesliga transfer market whilst the Confederations Cup has been taking place.
RB Leipzig continue their summer spending with Bruma coming in from Turkish side Galatasaray and Konrad Laimer comes in from their feeder club RB Salzburg. UEFA say the clubs are not owned by the same person and can both compete in the Champions League, it doesn’t stop these deals going ahead either. We all know there is a link with the multi million energy drink company backing them both. However, you can look at it like a B team and players that impress at Salzburg get called up to the main squad at Leipzig.
Hoffenheim have brought in West Ham reject Havard Nordtveit, who had a torrid time back in London last season. The newly qualified CL side will be hoping the Havard can replace the recent departure of Sule.
With rumours going around that Anthony Modeste is on his way to China, although recent reports are that the deal is not off; Koln couldn’t hang around thinking ‘will he, wont he’. Instead they have invested in a very similar style of forward and one who during his first season at Mainz caught a number of eyes. Jhon Cordoba comes in from the Carnival club and could very well lead the line for Koln next season, or he could form a formidable partnership with Modeste and take Koln onto the next level.
Werder Bremen have been busy these last few weeks with the signing of Jerome Gondorf from Darmstadt, Jiri Pavlenka from Slavia Prague and Yuning Zhang on loan from Vitesse.
Monchengladbach have taken a gamble on young English defender Reece Oxford, he arrives at the club on loan from West Ham who quite frankly have given up on blending young players into the team, they are more interested in buying overrated, over expensive players at the wrong end of their careers. They also have their head in the clouds that they are a “big club”. Lets hope Oxford has a good spell at Gladbach and has a chance at development in a very competitive Bundesliga.
Schalke continue to make additions to their squad after last season’s disappointment. In comes Pablo Insua from Spanish side Deportivo La Coruna.
Eintracht Frankfurt are a side that everyone is looking at following the interesting signings they have made so far, and now they have added a few more. Daichi Kamada arrives from Sagan Tosu and young prospect Luka Jovic comes in from Benfica, a few years back, Jovic was one of the hottest youngsters around, now he as his opportunity at Frankfurt, lets hope he thrives.
Considering the disastrous season Leverkusen had last campaign, you’d have thought that by now the club would have made some statements that they mean business this coming season. Oh no, that would be too easy right? Not only have they made no more signings, aside from Dominik Kohr, the club have departed with another two big names. Kyriakos Papadopoulos has moved to last seasons relegation rivals Hamburg, whilst arguably one of their best players in Hakan Calhanoglu, has gone to Italian giants AC Milan, who are building a revolution of their own. Rumours are also flying around that star striker Javier Hernandez could be on his way out of the club too. If he goes then the club will be in a desperate state, clinging onto Julian Brandt like he is their last rolo left in the packet. On a positive for Leverkusen though, the boy wonder, Kai Havertz has signed a five year deal with the club, hopefully cementing his future as a first team regular.
Talking of Hamburg, the club announced a number of signings last week Andre Hahn from Gladbach, Julian Pollersbeck from Kaiserslautern and Bjarne Thoelke from Karlsruher SC. At least they are trying to improve the squad after flirting with relegation for a number of years now.
Mainz have also pulled their finger out and bolstered the squad over the last ten days. Viktor Fischer comes in from Middlesbrough and I think this could be a very good home for him. Kenan Kodro from CA Osasuna and Alexandru Maxim from VfB Stuttgart
Thats the latest transfer round up for now, next week as well as discussing the latest transfers, I will be showing off the Bundesliga’s latest kits for the upcoming season.