Bundesliga summer 2019 transfer XI
Philippe Coutinho, Ivan Perisic and Bas Dost are among the big names to have joined the German top flight during the summer 2019 transfer window. Read on to find out who makes our star ensemble of Bundesliga newcomers...
Zack Steffen
Age: 24
Position: Goalkeeper
Joined: Fortuna Düsseldorf (loan)
From: Manchester City
USA first-choice goalkeeper Zack Steffen is back in German football on a season-long loan with Fortuna Düsseldorf. The Coatesville, Pennsylvania native previously featured for the Freiburg reserves in the 2015/16 season but returns a much more rounded player after making 84 appearances for Columbus Crew in Major League Soccer.
The winner of the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year and US Soccer Male Player of the Year in 2018, the 6’3’’ stopper was signed by English champions Manchester City before being loaned out to Düsseldorf, where he has so far excelled.
Watch: Meet Zack Steffen!
Stephan Lichtsteiner
Age: 35
Position: Right-back/wing-back
Joined: Augsburg
From: Arsenal
The next chapter of a distinguished career has taken Stephan Lichtsteiner from English Premier League club Arsenal to Augsburg. The Switzerland international has won multiple titles down the years, with his most decorated spell falling in Italy with Juventus, where he lifted seven successive Scudettos.
Capped 105 times and captain of his country, Lichtsteiner can play at right-back or in a more advanced position. He provides a tailor-made replacement for Jonathan Schmid, and - having completed a banking apprenticeship as a youngster - has all the necessary credentials to help keep Augsburg in the black in 2019/20.
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Benjamin Pavard
Age: 23
Position: Centre-back/right-back
Joined: Bayern Munich
From: VfB Stuttgart
VfB Stuttgart are not in the Bundesliga in 2019/20 after their play-off defeat to Union Berlin, but Benjamin Pavard is. Pavard began six games at right-back in the Bundesliga last season and 23 in the centre of defence, so it remains to be seen where the versatile defender will line up at the Allianz Arena in the long term.
With Joshua Kimmich, Niklas Süle, Jerome Boateng and Lucas Hernandez all providing competition for places in both of his preferred positions, his place in Niko Kovac’s starting side is far from confirmed, although he did start all three of the team's first league outings this term.
Bayern have recruited a talented player with age on his side who will be keen to show that the performances he displayed at the highest level in France’s World Cup-winning campaign were not a one-off.
Mats Hummels
Age: 30
Position: Centre-back
Joined: Borussia Dortmund
From: Bayern Munich
Referred to by BVB sporting director Michael Zorc as "the best German defender", Mats Hummels’ return to Dortmund from Bayern is one of the moves of the summer as last season’s runners-up look to go one better in 2019/20. With over 300 Bundesliga appearances to his name, the 2014 FIFA World Cup winner is a massive addition to a youthful Borussia backline that at times lost focus last season.
The former club captain spent nine hugely successful seasons at the Signal Iduna Park before a three-year spell back at his youth club Bayern, but he has now returned to the team where he won back-to-back Bundesliga titles in 2011 and 2012.
Watch: Hummels' career so far!
Lucas Hernandez
Age: 23
Position: Centre-back/left-back
Joined: Bayern Munich
From: Atletico Madrid
Hernandez is another one of three Frenchmen to have joined the Bundesliga champions this summer, meaning Bayern’s squad is now home to France’s World Cup-winning right and left-backs. Like Pavard, Hernandez is also only 23 and defensively versatile.
Adept at playing both in the centre of defence and at full-back, he made over 50 appearances for Atletico Madrid but had his playing time restricted last season because of an injury. After undergoing surgery, the Marseille native is now back to full fitness and started two of Bayern's first three Bundesliga outings in 2019/20.
Watch: Who is Lucas Hernandez?
Marko Grujic
Age: 23
Position: Central midfielder
Joined: Hertha Berlin (loan)
From: Liverpool
Marko Grujic made a real impression in his 22 Bundesliga appearances for Hertha Berlin last season. Now the Serbia international is back for a second bite of the cherry, having seen his early trajectory checked by injury. Grujic registered five goals and one assist in his maiden Bundesliga campaign, with Hertha winning 10 of the games he featured in compared to just one without.
His box-to-box qualities were laid bare on Matchday 1 of the new campaign as he scored in Hertha's 2-2 draw at Bayern, but Old Lady fans won't be getting too carried away. Jürgen Klopp, coach of parent club Liverpool, has designs on bringing him back to Anfield: "He has a massive future!"
Julian Brandt
Age: 23
Position: Winger/attacking midfielder
Joined: Borussia Dortmund
From: Bayer Leverkusen
There has never been any doubt about Julian Brandt’s ability but the Leverkusen man really burst into life in 2019, having a hand in 14 goals in the Rückrunde alone – he had never before topped 12 in an entire season. It came about with a change of position into a deeper central midfield role under Peter Bosz.
The 24-time Germany international and Confed Cup winner is another ideal fit for Dortmund’s attacking play, whether as part of the forward line-up or in his newfound central midfield position, as evidenced by his debut goal from the bench on Matchday 1.
Ivan Perisic
Age: 30
Position: Winger
Joined: Bayern Munich
From: Inter Milan
With deadly duo Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery now departed, everyone expected Bayern to strengthen out wide this summer. Kingsley Coman and Serge Gnabry are both full of promise, but Ivan Perisic looks a very clever signing.
The Croatian knows the league, having won the double with Dortmund in 2011/12, and he later lifted the cup and finished runner-up to Bayern in 2015/16 during a three-year stay at Wolfsburg. He has now returned to Germany on loan from Inter Milan, with whom he scored 37 league goals over four seasons.
During his time in Italy Perisic helped Inter return to the UEFA Champions League, while he has also amassed over 80 caps for his country. At the 2018 FIFA World Cup the former Club Brugge attacker scored three goals – including in the semi-final and the final – as Croatia finished second to France.
Watch: Perisic's top 5 Bundesliga goals!
Philippe Coutinho
Age: 27
Position: Attacking midfielder/ winger
Joined: Bayern Munich (loan)
From: Barcelona
Following hot on Perisic's heels, Philippe Coutinho arrived at Bayern on a one-year loan from Barcelona to much fanfare. The Brazil international's official unveiling almost broke the internet, and it's easy to see why. The 27-year-old became a superstar at Liverpool, won two league titles alongside Lionel Messi at Barcelona, helped his country lift their first Copa America title in 12 years, and is widely regarded as one of the finest attacking midfielders in world football. A natural No.10 and a menace floating in from the left-hand side, he promises to elevate the record champions to another level.
Watch: Philippe Coutinho's first goal for Bayern Munich
Thorgan Hazard
Age: 26
Position: Winger
Joined: Borussia Dortmund
From: Borussia Mönchengladbach
Dortmund wasted no time wisely reinvesting the money they received for Christian Pulisic by signing Thorgan Hazard from Borussia Mönchengladbach just days after the 2018/19 season ended. The Belgian was one of Gladbach’s key performers during his five seasons at Borussia-Park, averaging a goal or an assist almost every other game over the course of his 182 competitive appearances.
Fresh from finishing third at the 2018 World Cup, Hazard was by far the Foals’ greatest attacking influence, leading the way with 10 goals and 10 assists as Gladbach finished fifth and narrowly missed out on UEFA Champions League qualification. The 26-year-old winger, however, will be involved with Dortmund, as well as hoping to mount another Bundesliga title challenge.
Watch: All 20 of Thorgan Hazard's goals and assists in 2018/19
Bas Dost
Age: 32
Position: Forward
Joined: Eintracht Frankfurt
From: Sporting Lisbon
Luka Jovic, Sebastien Haller and Ante Rebic have moved on, but the arrival of Bas Dost more than helps lighten the load at Frankfurt. The Dutchman will be a familiar face to Bundesliga audiences of a certain vintage, having hit 48 goals in 117 appearances for Wolfsburg before moving to Portuguese outfit Sporting Lisbon in summer 2016.
His 93 strikes in 127 matches made him one of the most prolific strikers in Europe over the last three seasons, and he started his Eintracht career as he means to go on with a debut goal from the bench in the Matchday 3 win over Fortuna Düsseldorf.
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