Gone but never forgotten
Cologne – With the transfer window closing at the end of August, the Bundesliga has welcomed some new stars to its shores while also bidding farewell to several who have penned significant chapters in the league's history.
bundesliga.com takes a look at some of the social media reaction to the departures of players who have gone, but will not be forgotten.
Ivan Perisic has left VfL Wolfsburg for FC Internazionale Milano in Italy's Serie A, but not without leaving the following message on Instagram:
"I would like to take a moment to thank #VfLWolfsburg and the entire staff, manager #DieterHecking and sporting director #KlausAllofs for these amazing two and a half years I spent as being one of the #Wolves .. A special #ThankYou goes to #MyTeammates and to the #fans who made it all possible.. It has been my pleasure.. #WolfFamily #DankeSchön #IP9 #JuniorMalanda @vfl.wolfsburg"
Jakub Blaszczykowski is going to sustain his bid for a place in Poland's squad for Euro 2016 after likewise heading for Italy after signing for Fiorentina
His team-mate Ilkay Gündogan wished him all the best via Twitter...
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...while 'Kuba' expressed his own thanks to Dortmund as he flew over the Signal Iduna Park on his way to Florence...
Blaszczykowski's compatriot Lukasz Piszczek also wished him well...
Oliver Kirch has also left Dortmund, much to the disappointment of team-mate Nuri Sahin...
One of the greatest guys I've met in Football...all the best my friend @ollikirch
Meanwhile, Kirch left a farewell message via Instagram...
"I had a great time with unforgettable experiences which will always stay with me. For three years I always tried to give my best for this club and play my part in the team's success and to take the chances to prove myself. I would also have liked to do this for a fourth year, but I would not have had these chances this season. Since I still have not lost my love for this sport by a long way, I sought a new challenge and am glad I found this with SC Paderborn. It's hard to say goodbye, but I am now looking forward to my new challenges. Thanks to all of the fans for your support, and of course big thanks to the team and the staff. I wish you all the best and good health! See you again for a battle in the cup!"
Kevin Kampl said thanks to Dortmund as he looks forward to life at Leverkusen.
Hello dear fans…! I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you once again to Borussia Dortmund and the fans for this short yet beautiful time… I can understand that a few BVB fans are angry and disappointed that I've left the club again after such a short time! My time at Dortmund was not easy, so I simply had to take the chance after a long time and over so many different places to come back to Bayer 04, to the club where I spent my entire childhood and where I meet many familiar faces, above all my mentor Roger Schmidt. I wanted to and I simply had to take this unique opportunity, for me as a footballer and privately! Borussia Dortmund are one of the biggest clubs in the world, with such enthusiastic fans which you don't find very often! I am very proud that I was able to play for this club… And I wish all the players, the coaches, and the fans and all the members all the best, sporting and privately!!! I am now looking forward to a new chapter in my life and being able to pull my boots on for Bayer 04 again!!! Heartfelt greetings from the national team in Slovenia, and see you soon. Yours, Kevin …! KK44
And after Kampl, it was the turn of Kevin Großkreutz to say his goodbyes...
Dear fans and friends, dear supporters of Borussia Dortmund, the time has come for me to talk about my future. But first of all, I feel it is important to say THANKS: thanks for the incredible support in the past 6! years, thanks for every positive and encouraging word, thanks for every photo and autograph I was able to give, thanks for every second I was able to play for this wonderful club, I thank every single employee, our coaches, with whom we spent 6 wonderful years, and all of my team-mates for everything. The biggest thanks, however, go to you the fans. YOU have always stood by me, YOU make this club something special, so remain faithful to who you are because "players come and go, but Borussia Dortmund remains the same". The numerous victories, amazing triumphs, painful defeats, derby wins, cups and titles, lost finals, injuries, every metre of grass covered, the cuts and bruises – I could go on and on forever, but there is one thing I have to say about all this: I never regretted a single moment and it was all worth it!!! Borussia Dortmund and I are parting company. Even if I would have played my whole life for the Black-Yellows, I have got to say that I feel lucky to have ever been able to play for MY club. Everybody knows that I am a footballer through and through, and I am grateful for this every day, but I need to be playing games, getting appearances and have the faith, like the air that I breathe… I am leaving Dortmund with one eye weeping but with the other smiling – because I am of course looking forward to joining an ambitious club with tradition and the sporting challenge at the highest level that entails, in order to prove myself to everybody, but above all to prove myself. A new country, a new culture, meeting new and familiar faces… I thank Galatasaray for this opportunity. FIFA have NOT given me my playing licence, but I am still going to move to Istanbul in the coming week and settle in. I will unfortunately only be able to prove myself in 'training'.
Dortmund is, remains and will always be my home and I will remain part of this city and its people in one way or another, with my coming projects. To borrow the words of BVB's honorary member Alois Scheffler: "Once Borussia, always Borussia." Kevin Grosskreutz