The captain jumps ship: Bayern’s check and Mats
Hummels signing weakens Bavarian’s main rivals Dortmund in already lopsided Bundesliga
The 27-year-old is the third big-name Bayern have lured from Dortmund in the last three years after Gotze and Lewandowski. PHOTO: REUTERS
BERLIN:
Bayern Munich’s dual signings of Renato Sanches and Mats Hummels on Tuesday managed to simultaneously strengthen their Champions League challenge while potentially weakening Borussia Dortmund for next season’s Bundesliga campaign.
Just 11 days before Bayern face Dortmund in the German Cup final in Berlin, the Bavarian giants announced they have signed Germany centre-back Hummels from the only club to challenge them domestically this season.
The 27-year-old is the third big-name Bayern have lured from Dortmund in the last three years after Mario Gotze in 2013 and Robert Lewandowski in 2014.
Dortmund were already battling to keep defensive midfielder Ilkay Gundogan, linked to Manchester City, and Chelsea-target Henrikh Mkhitaryan, while striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is being courted by Europe’s top clubs.
Transfer update: Bayern confirm Hummels, Sanches signings
Now they have lost their captain.
Less than 40 minutes after Bayern announced they had signed teenage talent Sanches from Benfica for €35 million, the Hummels deal was confirmed after weeks of speculation.
Hummels hastily left the Dortmund training ground 20 minutes after his transfer was announced. “After eight-and-a-half years here, it was not an easy decision to make,” he said in a statement on the club’s website. “I was always proud to wear the Borussia Dortmund shirt and be part of this exceptional team. Before I return to my hometown, we all have the big goal of bringing the German Cup trophy to Dortmund. For that I will give my all.”
Having grown up in Munich and come up through Bayern’s youth academy, Hummels is simply returning to the club he left, initially on loan, in 2008. The €4.2m Dortmund later paid for him in 2009 is dwarfed by the €38 million Bayern will reportedly pay to sign him back.
Had they waited 12 months, Bayern could have signed Hummels on a free transfer. He will partner Jerome Boateng at centre-back in front of Manuel Neuer in the core of the Germany defence which won the 2014 World Cup.
Hummels seeks move to rivals Bayern Munich
But after being jeered 10 days ago by home fans in Dortmund’s 5-1 routing of Wolfsburg, Hummels can expect to run another gauntlet at Borussia’s Signal Iduna Park in his last home game against Cologne this Saturday.
CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke has asked Dortmund fans to show respect. “We wish, both for him and Borussia Dortmund, that during his final weeks in the black and yellow shirt, he will get the recognition he deserves and leaves with the German Cup in Dortmund’s hands,” said Watzke.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 12th, 2016.
Bayern Munich’s dual signings of Renato Sanches and Mats Hummels on Tuesday managed to simultaneously strengthen their Champions League challenge while potentially weakening Borussia Dortmund for next season’s Bundesliga campaign.
Just 11 days before Bayern face Dortmund in the German Cup final in Berlin, the Bavarian giants announced they have signed Germany centre-back Hummels from the only club to challenge them domestically this season.
The 27-year-old is the third big-name Bayern have lured from Dortmund in the last three years after Mario Gotze in 2013 and Robert Lewandowski in 2014.
Dortmund were already battling to keep defensive midfielder Ilkay Gundogan, linked to Manchester City, and Chelsea-target Henrikh Mkhitaryan, while striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is being courted by Europe’s top clubs.
Transfer update: Bayern confirm Hummels, Sanches signings
Now they have lost their captain.
Less than 40 minutes after Bayern announced they had signed teenage talent Sanches from Benfica for €35 million, the Hummels deal was confirmed after weeks of speculation.
Hummels hastily left the Dortmund training ground 20 minutes after his transfer was announced. “After eight-and-a-half years here, it was not an easy decision to make,” he said in a statement on the club’s website. “I was always proud to wear the Borussia Dortmund shirt and be part of this exceptional team. Before I return to my hometown, we all have the big goal of bringing the German Cup trophy to Dortmund. For that I will give my all.”
Having grown up in Munich and come up through Bayern’s youth academy, Hummels is simply returning to the club he left, initially on loan, in 2008. The €4.2m Dortmund later paid for him in 2009 is dwarfed by the €38 million Bayern will reportedly pay to sign him back.
Had they waited 12 months, Bayern could have signed Hummels on a free transfer. He will partner Jerome Boateng at centre-back in front of Manuel Neuer in the core of the Germany defence which won the 2014 World Cup.
Hummels seeks move to rivals Bayern Munich
But after being jeered 10 days ago by home fans in Dortmund’s 5-1 routing of Wolfsburg, Hummels can expect to run another gauntlet at Borussia’s Signal Iduna Park in his last home game against Cologne this Saturday.
CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke has asked Dortmund fans to show respect. “We wish, both for him and Borussia Dortmund, that during his final weeks in the black and yellow shirt, he will get the recognition he deserves and leaves with the German Cup in Dortmund’s hands,” said Watzke.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 12th, 2016.