The top Bundesliga transfers ahead of the new season
As the Bundesliga kickoff approaches, the league will be without David Alaba and Jadon Sancho. But there is plenty of intrigue about new arrivals such as Donyell Malen and Lukas Nmecha.
David Alaba to Real Madrid
After 13 years and 28 titles with Bayern Munich, the Austrian bid farewell to Bavaria in order to join the Spanish giants. The 29-year-old will now link up with Carlo Ancelotti, who used to coach him at Bayern. Alaba will wear the number 4 shirt vacated by Real legend Sergio Ramos.
Dayot Upamecano to Bayern Munich
The defensive gap left by the exit of Alaba will partly be filled by this man, who cost €42,5 million from RB Leipzig. Upamecano, 22, could be one part of a three quarter French backline in Bavaria, joining his compatriots Lucas Hernandez and Benjamin Pavard.
Jadon Sancho to Manchester United
After numerous attempts in numerous transfer windows, Manchester United finally succeeded in getting Sancho back to his homeland. The youngster spent four productive years in Dortmund after leaving United's rivals Manchester City. He cost somewhere in the region of €85 million.
Donyell Malen to Borussia Dortmund
Dortmund found their replacement for Sancho in the Netherlands. "Donyell is a player with great offensive potential, who radiates scoring power, brings his creativity and has great pace," said BVB sporting director Michael Zorc, praising the €30 million euro purchase, who is expected to play on the left side next to Erling Haaland.
Kevin-Prince Boateng to Hertha BSC
The Berlin-born midfielder's return to Hertha closes a circle: Kevin-Prince Boateng became a Bundesliga professional with Hertha in 2005, but left the German capital in 2007. Now, at 34, the midfielder is returning to his roots - after stints in London, Dortmund, Portsmouth, Milan, Gelsenkirchen, Las Palmas, Frankfurt, Sassuolo, Barcelona, Florence, Istanbul and Monza.
André Silva to RB Leipzig
Will Eintracht Frankfurt's hardcore fans understand this move? Last season, the Portuguese striker was Frankfurt's most prolific Bundesliga scorer of all time with 28 goals in the campaign. Now though he will no longer be scoring for Eintracht, but for RB Leipzig, where he has signed for five years, with the fee set at €23 million.
Rafael Santos Borré to Eintracht Frankfurt
Can the Colombian newcomer from River Plate compensate for the departure of Silva? The 25-year-old is certainly capable of scoring. He notched 56 times in 149 competitive games for River Plate. "He's a very interesting player with international caliber," says Eintracht sporting director Markus Krösche: "He'll help us with his goalscoring instinct and accuracy."
Lukas Nmecha zum VfL Wolfsburg
Under-21 European champion Lukas Nmecha spent the first half of the 2019/2020 season at Wolfsburg on loan, but hardly played. Under the new coach Mark van Bommel, that should get better. "I talked to the coach and he wanted me here. Maybe that wasn't the case last time," says the 22-year-old striker, who joins from Manchester City for around €8 million.
Leon Bailey to Aston Villa
Leon Bailey found the new challenge he was looking for in the Premier League, where he will have some responsibility to replace the creativity of Jack Grealish, who left Villa for City. "Leverkusen is a top club. Here I was able to reach a higher level. Now it's time to open a new chapter," said Bailey, who scored 31 goals in 156 competitive games for the Werkself.