Leverkusen - Bayer 04 Leverkusen have strengthened their ranks before the end of the summer transfer window by signing midfielder Kevin Kampl from Bundesliga rivals Borussia Dortmund.

'Pleased to return'

The Slovenian international, who only moved to Borussia in January, has signed a five-year contract with the Werkself until 2020.

Kampl joined Leverkusen as a kid in 1997 and expressed delight at returning to his former haunt. “I’m very pleased to return to Leverkusen, where I took my first proper steps as a player in Bayern’s U-23 side,“ said Kampl. "To now be able to represent the club’s first team in the Bundesliga and Champions League is fantastic.“

Bayer 04 coach Roger Schmidt was equally enamoured to seal a deal for a player with whom he had a highly successful relationship when the pair were at FC Salzburg between 2012 and 2014, during which time they won the Austrian league and cup double in 2013/14. “We’d loved to have signed Kevin back in the winter, so it’s all the more pleasing to sew things up now, six months later. He's a great player and it'll be a lot of fun working with him.”

Son to Spurs

Meanwhile, Leverkusen have confirmed the departure of South Korean international Heung-Min Son to English Premier League outfit Tottenham Hotspur FC, ending his two-year stint at the Rhineland club.

Bayer, who have begun the season with two league wins from two and this week qualified for the UEFA Champions League group stage, are next in action in a top-of-the-table clash at record titleholders FC Bayern München on Saturday (kick-off 18:30 CEST).

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