BERLIN (AP) — Italian captain Leonardo Bonucci joined Union Berlin on the final day of Germany’s moving window, while Bayern Munich’s deal with Portuguese midfielder Joao Palhinha broke down at the last minute Friday.
German media reported that English Premier League side Fulham had cancelled Palhinha’s transfer, even after the player underwent medical tests and posed for photographs in Munich. Bayern are reportedly willing to pay 65 million euros ($70 million) for the defensive midfielder, a position that coach Thomas Tuchel has known as a priority. But Fulham failed to find a replacement.
Eintracht Frankfurt star Randal Kolo Muani’s move to Paris Saint-Germain has reportedly been cancelled for a fee of 95 million euros ($102. 5 million) despite Frankfurt failing to recruit a replacement. PSG striker Hupass Ekitike didn’t feel like moving to Frankfurt. , while Kolo Muani tried his best to pass in the opposite direction. Frankfurt said Wednesday that the 24-year-old refused to train.
In total, Bundesliga clubs spent more than €700 million in the summer transfer window, the highest amount since 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic forced clubs to restrict their spending.
BERLIN UNION
Bonucci, 36, signed for Union, his first time at a club outside Italy, after falling out of favor with Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri, who last season told the decorated defender it was not in his plans for 2023-24. .
Bonucci made more than 500 appearances for Juventus and had one year left on his contract there, but was unable to attend pre-season education and was forced to look the other way at his hopes of captaining Italy at next year’s European Championship in Germany.
The Union makes its Champions League debut this season after a wonderful fourth place in its fourth year in the Bundesliga. The team was only promoted for the first time in 2019.
Bonucci is the latest major signing this summer after German left-back Robin Gosens, former Germany striker Kevin Volland, Ivory Coast forward David Datro Fofana and U. S. midfielder Brenden Aaronson.
American striker Jordan Pefok has arrived on loan to Borussia Mönchengladbach.
BAYERN MUNICH
Bayern were weaker at the end of the turnaround window than at the start of the day.
The club’s failure to sign Palhinha is a blow to Tuchel, who complains the team has midfielders Joshua Kimmich, Leon Goretzka and new signings Konrad Laimer who like to keep going.
Another midfielder, Dutchman Ryan Gravenberch, joined Liverpool after a season at Bayern for an announced payment of 40 million euros ($43 million).
Earlier on Friday, Tuchel lamented that Bayern had allowed flexible Croatian defender Josip Stanišić to sign for Bayer Leverkusen on loan for this season, leaving him without defensive ability following Benjamin Pavard’s move to Inter Milan. Bayern’s belated search for defenders was unsuccessful.
Bayern have already broken the Bundesliga move record by signing England captain Harry Kane from Tottenham for a payment of 100 million euros ($109 million), while spending a lot of cash to bring in South Korean defender Kim Min-jae from Napoli. Left-back Raphael Guerreiro arrived thanks to a loose move by league rivals Borussia Dortmund and Leipzig’s Laimer.
Sadio Mané leaves to join Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr after a disappointing season in Germany. Bayern looked for the player to update Robert Lewandowski, but the relationship between the club and the player deteriorated as he recovered from the injury that prevented him from betting on the World Cup in Senegal.
Bayern also sold defender Lucas Hernandez to PSG. With starting goalkeeper Manuel Neuer injured, the club tried unsuccessfully to sign Kepa Arrizabalaga, who left for Real Madrid, but he was given the option of a substitute signing Israeli goalkeeper Daniel Peretz from Maccabi Tel Aviv.
BORUSSIA DORTMUND
Dortmund on Thursday closed the transfer of German forward Niclas Füllkrug from Werder Bremen for 15 million euros ($16. 4 million). The club hopes the 30-year-old Füllkrug, an outdated centre forward, will reinvigorate the team after a poor arrival. He started in the Bundesliga.
Dortmund’s biggest move was that of midfielder Jude Bellingham, who left for Real Madrid for 103 million euros ($110 million) in June. The club struggled to upgrade the English star, who has four goals in three Spanish league games. Midfielders Marcel Sabitzer and Felix Nmecha arrived from Bayern and Wolfsburg respectively.
BAYER LEVERKUSEN
Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes has had a busy offseason to rebuild a team for coach Xabi Alonso in order to potentially challenge Bayern’s dominance. Leverkusen spent 20 million euros ($21. 7 million) to sign winger Nathan Tella from Southampton last week, its biggest sign of the team. move window.
The club has in the past signed Swiss midfielder Granit Xhaka from Arsenal, Nigerian striker Victor Boniface, German winger Jonas Hofmann, Spanish left-back Álex Grimaldo, Brazilian right-back Arthur, Czech goalkeeper Matěj Kovář and Stanišić on loan from Bayern.
He retained stars such as Florian Wirtz and Jérémie Frimpong, while French winger Moussa Diaby signed for Premier League side Aston Villa for an announced payment of 55 million euros ($60 million).
LEIPZIG
Leipzig arguably lost more vital players in the offseason with the departure of strikers Christopher Nkunku (Chelsea), Dominik Szoboszlai (Liverpool) and Andre Silva (Real Sociedad), while Croatian defender Josko Gvardiol joined Manchester City for 90 million euros ($98 million). , placing him among the most beloved defenders in football history.
To compensate, Leipzig signed French defenders Castello Lukeba from Lyon for 30 million euros ($33 million) and El Chadaille Bitshiabu from Paris Saint-Germain for 15 million euros ($16 million).
Leipzig signed striker Lois Openda from Lens for 38 million euros ($41 million), making the 23-year-old Belgian the club’s record signing, and loaned winger Xavi Simons from PSG and midfielder Fabio Carvalho from Liverpool.
OTHER OFFERS
Croatian left-back Borna Sosa left Stuttgart after five seasons to sign for Ajax Amsterdam. In the past, Stuttgart had lost captain Wataru Endo to Liverpool and Greek defender Konstantinos Mavropanos to West Ham.
Werder Bremen signed Naby Keita from Liverpool as part of a big deal in June, but injuries mean he has yet to play for the club.
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Ellingworth reported from Düsseldorf, Germany.
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