As with most clubs, FC Bayern Munich are on the search for new players.
Pepe Reina and Mitchell Weiser have left Bayern each on a new career path. Pepe Reina is back to Italy’s SSC Napoli and Mitchell Weiser was signed by Hertha BSC. Weiser had shown playmaking abilities and great dribbling skills, but nevertheless the decision to let him go remained. As a replacement for Pepe Reina, Bayern have immediately responded by signing VfB Stuttgart’s goalkeeper, Sven Ulreich. “I’m really looking forward to the whole team and all the new things I’m set to experience here,” said Ulreich who is excited to join the Bavarians, “I want to make a contribution to our success and will always be there when called upon.” While being a back-up keeper, it is clear that Ulreich will benefit Bayern and will grow as a player as well.
Another player Bayern signed from Stuttgart is midfielder Joshua Kimmich last January, who will join them in July 2015. The young player has shown potential this year with Germany U-21 and everyone is excited to see what he will bring to Bayern. Further, Jan Kirchhoff, Julian Green and Pierre-Emile Höjbjerg have all returned from their respective loans.
There has been a lot of speculation about who could join Bayern and represent them in the long future. From Antoine Griezmann to Felipe Anderson, who could be most useful for for the club? After a lot of speculation and rumours, Bayern have finally signed Shakhtar Donetsk’s midfielder Douglas Costa on a €30 million fee. Douglas faced the Bavarians with his now-former club during the 2014-15 Champions League and that is probably how he caught the eye of Bayern’s coach Pep Guardiola. The number 11, reached out to Instagram to share the following: “Finally my dream came true, I’m so happy to wear this winner shirt @fcbayern…We are together for minimum 5 years in this new journey! Thanks God !! #MIASANMIA”. His contract will last till 2020 and that shows he plans a long future at Säbener Strasse. The 24-year-old is yet to prove himself to Bayern, his teammates and the fans but the Brazilian is up to the challenge. Douglas Costa has great technical ability, a powerful left foot and is known to be very quick and flexible.
Guardiola during today’s presser commented on the new signing: “He has great quality. We need a player for one-on-on situations. He’s a very young player and a fighter.”
Does Guardiola plan any change to Bayern’s defense? With big players like Jerome Boateng, David Alaba and Philipp Lahm, Bayern’s defense nevertheless needs to be strengthened and it will be interesting to see what Guardiola will do about that. However, with Holger Badstuber’s return soon he might not sign anyone.
Here are some facts you didn’t know about Douglas Costa:
- Douglas won during his first season with Shakhtar the 2009-10 Ukrainian Premier League title
- Shakhtar managed to end the 2010-11 season as treble winners, winning the Premier League, Ukrainian Cup and the Super Cup. Douglas made a total of 42 appearances for the club, scoring seven goals
- He played three seasons with Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Dortmund’s midfielder
- In a tournament between the top-two placed clubs from Russia and Ukraine, he was the joint top scorer and the joint assist leader of the league with nine assists
- In November 2014, Douglas was called up to the Brazilian National Football Team
- He has a total of 38 goals with Shakhtar in 6 seasons
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