PL reservists flood the Bundesliga
The big disappointment for all transfer junkies
February 1, 2024, 9:33 p.m
Once 30 million, once 23 – and then nothing for a long time: In the current Bundesliga transfer window, not very many players and only manageable sums were moved this time. Quite surprising: FC Bayern prefers a summer transfer.
The winter sales are no longer what they used to be – this apparently also applies to the Bundesliga. Until the so-called deadline day, transfer junkies waited in vain for the big star purchase or mega transfer. Shortly before the end, the hectic activity and checking of options began in some places. However, only FC Bayern really put money into their hands with a rumored 30 million euros for Sacha Boey from Galatasaray Istanbul and RB Leipzig with an alleged 23 million for Eljif Elmas from SSC Napoli. While the Frenchman Boey is supposed to close the Munich construction site at the back right, the North Macedonian Elmas is intended as the successor to the club icon Emil Forsberg, who has moved to New York.
The remaining transfers are far away from double-digit million amounts in terms of transfer fees. The prominent additions that were available were mostly borrowed, at least in the first step. And mostly from the bloated squads of Premier League clubs. Eric Dier (Tottenham Hotspur) came from Bayern, returnees Jadon Sancho (Manchester United) and Ian Maatsen (Chelsea FC) from Borussia Dortmund as well as Sasa Kalajdzic (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Donny van de Beek (Manchester United) and Hugo Ekitiké ( Paris Saint-Germain) from Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga. Some of them have a purchase option. Bryan Zaragoza is also on loan from FC Bayern, but the purchase for the summer was already clear.
Reluctance from the league leader
League leaders Bayer Leverkusen only made one transfer, also on loan. And striker Borja Iglesias from Betis Sevilla was only brought in because Victor Boniface is out until April. Shortly before the end of the transfer, at least three transfers of short-term national players caused a stir. Especially the one from Mo Dahoud to VfB Stuttgart. The ex-Dortmunder was also initially borrowed from Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League with an option to buy. The other two took place within the Bundesliga. Nadiem Amiri, who was in the starting line-up for Leverkusen against Borussia Mönchengladbach at the weekend, went to relegation candidate FSV Mainz 05. Striker Kevin Behrens, who had been waiting for a competitive goal since the end of August, moved from Union Berlin in the winter, like Max Kruse two years ago to VfL Wolfsburg.
The Champions League participant Union, which had slipped into the basement, had the highest fluctuation with eight departures and three additions. At the three clubs that were still ranked behind the Berliners, the comings and goings weren’t quite as lively. In addition to Amiri, Mainz brought in another offensive player in Jessic Ngankam from Frankfurt, bottom team Darmstadt loaned Julian Justvan from Hoffenheim and the Bundesliga-experienced ex-Bochum player Gerrit Holtmann, and striker Sebastian Polter also came from Schalke 04 on the final day.
Cologne residents are relaxed
1. FC Köln were not allowed to sign any players due to the FIFA transfer ban, but in return they even gave up three. According to their own information, the competitors’ activities do not frighten the people of Cologne. “Nothing hurts, we accept the situation as it is,” said Lizenspiel director Thomas Kessler: “Of course we follow what the competition is doing. But especially in winter it’s not that easy to strengthen yourself anyway. That’s why I I’m excited to see how it works for the competitors.”
The ban will hurt the people of Cologne more in the summer, when their competitors will probably try hard again and with some financial resources to rebuild their squads.