Bundesliga Transfer News (Oct 2023)

In the current article, we've compiled some of the best Bundesliga transfer news and rumors about every club. Take a look at who your favorite team signed, sold, or was interested in.

The best part is that most of these rumours will keep floating around for some time and who knows, some of them may become reality.

So let’s see what are the juiciest transfer gossips surrounding the top flight of German football.

Arminia Bielefeld: Bolstering its squad

In their efforts to strengthen their squad, The Arminen’s Board made the logical move to attract some new talents to the club. Such a player was Ritsu Doan, who was signed on a loan deal from PSV Eindhoven. With a wide variety of skills and playstyles, the forward is an exciting option for the new Bundesliga contender. We shall see how he matches up to the top-flight level.

Whether Doan is to establish himself under Neuhaus, a permanent deal might be in the works. At the end of the current campaign, he will have three years remaining on his contract with PSV. The Dutch grand will reevaluate Doan's form during the summer and decide whether they want to part way with him. It's believed that he either gets playtime with his former club, gets sent out on another loan, or is sold. Arminia will be on the lookout for the last two options.

Another player rumored to be on the verge of playing with Arminia Bielefeld’s kit was the Premier League colossus Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher. The versatile midfielder was actively communicating with the German side’s board. He is looking to amass experience before possibly becoming a part of the Blues’ main squad.

With the recent additions of midfielders Kai Havertz, Hakim Ziyech, and Christian Pulisic, the competition within Chelsea is tremendous. Gallagher will find it hard to see any playtime with players like this, so a loan move was only logical. Despite being heavily linked with becoming part of the Bundesliga, the 20-year-old ended up joining West Bromwich Albion.

Augsburg: The targets remain for next summer

Ligue 1 side Rennes' Sacha Boey is a young talent who just now is starting to attract a lot of interest towards himself. It was rumored that he is on the verge of joining Bundesliga clubs – Augsburg and Schalke 04, but it wasn't meant to happen during the summer. Instead of going to play in Germany, he decided to stick to the French top flight and joined Dijon on a yearlong loan.

That was a massive blow for Augsburg, who was reported to have a significant interest in getting a hold of Boey's services. The Fuggerstädter will now have to wait the year to pass in order to restart negotiations.

Striker fallen out of favor might see his exit

2017/2018 top goal scorer for Augsburg Michael Gregoritsch’s future in the club seems uncertain. After netting 13 goals in the entirety of the season, three years ago, it looks like he has lost his spot in the squad. During the last campaign, he only took part in six league games for Augsburg and was loaned to Schalke 04 in the winter.

The striker failed to impress with just a single goal in 16 matches for Schalke and has since returned to WWK Arena. Only time will show if Herllich decides to integrate the Austrian player in his lineup this season. Gregoritsch might already be looking for a new club to play for because he reportedly felt uncomfortable with his current situation.

Bayer Leverkusen: Cashing in on transfer deals

Bayer accumulated nearly €100 Million from Volland and Havertz’s exits, which indeed left a void in the club's attacking prowess. Having lost two of their offensive players, the German team couldn't part ways with another of their wingers in the face of Leon Bailey. Manchester City had the desire to sign him as a replacement for Leroy Sane, who recently left the Premier League side to join Bayern Munich.

However, Pep Guardiola's squad acquired Ferran Torres, and that missing spot was filled. Fellow Premier League team Everton was also interested in Bailey. Attracted by his pace and shot conversion, the Merseyside reportedly made an offer. Their interest, though, wasn't met by the Jamaican who expressed that he wants a move to the top four or five clubs in England. He mentioned Spurs, but without current interest from Mourinho's team, such a deal seems impossible at present.

Leverkusen looking to resolve defensive issues

Despite losing a significant part of their attacking power, Bayer was interested in signing several defenders. Their focus seems to be clearing out defensive errors, and Peter Bosz was keen on signing Sead Kolasinac because of that. The German left-back is gossiped to be looking for a return to his homeland. Even though they acquired nearly €100 Million, the club is very considerable with its money and only offered €10 Million for the defender. An agreement was not reached, and negotiations are set to continue in January.

Bayern Munich: The challenge with landing Callum Hudson-Odoi

The London Blues are pretty delighted with their work with Hudson-Odoi. Brought up by Chelsea's youth academy, the 19-year-old has already spent 13 years with the club. He was heavily linked with a move to Bayern during the previous 2019 summer transfer window. Back then, Frank Lampard had just become the Blues' coach and convinced the winger not to leave London. Hudson-odoi signed a new 5-year deal with Chelsea ensuring his stay in Stamford Bridge.

Bayern Munich must really want to get a hold of the star-in-the-making because his playstyle is very similar to the ones that the wingers in Bayern are known to have. Despite the interest in the 20-year-old, an agreement wasn't reached, which prompted Hansi Flick to opt for his plan-B. He managed to bring back Douglas Costa on loan from Juventus. Costa will spend the season at Allianz Arena, contributing with a lot of experience to the lineup. It is rumored that the Brazilian has his heart in Munich and would agree on making his move permanent at a future point.

Interested in Atletico’s flop

Atletico Madrid acquired Thomas Lemar for €70 million and has since regretted the move. The former Monaco midfielder played 29 games for the Atleti during the last season and didn't manage a single goal or assist. Despite his negative statistics, Bayern has been keen on loaning him for a season. However, Simeone is firm on Lemar being sold rather than being loaned.

Borussia Dortmund: Unable to do business with Manchester United

After the extremely intense race for Haaland's signature, the young talent chose to join BVB instead of Manchester United. The Red Devils were eager to have Erling play at Old Trafford, but Borussia beat them to it. During the summer, Ole Gunnar Solskjær reignited the negotiations, but the Germans weren't having it and declined any bid for Haaland.

This forced the Devils to look for another player with skills similar to Haaland's under his disposal, which once again led them to a BVB player – Jadon Sancho. Dortmund bought him in 2017 from Manchester City for a fee estimated to be around €8 million. The late September of 2020, Manchester United made a €100 Million bid for the winger. It's safe to say Sancho's value has skyrocketed.

However, though Borussia Dortmund seems to be building a long-lasting team for the near future. They weren't moved by the enormous amount of money offered for the 20-year-old and have decided to keep the prospect. Sancho's future was also speculated to continue with Chelsea, but the London Blues signed several midfielders, which leaves the England International out of the picture.

Wilfried Zaha was linked with Dortmund as well.

The Crystal Palace's main man is gossiped to be on the verge of leaving Selhurst Park. It has been reported that the Eagles themselves have approached Borussia in connection with Zaha's future. However, with the vast attacking options that Lucian Favre has, an official offer from the German side was never made.

Borussia Mönchengladbach: Time to build a team for the future

Borussia Mönchengladbach didn't go on a massive shopping spree similarly to other contenders for the top spot. The club spent €3 Million in loan fees and a further €1.8 Million to attract right-back Joe Scally, from the MLS side New York City FC. A total of 7 players arrived at the Borussia-Park, 3 of them are M’gladbach’s very own youth academy graduates. It seems that Borussia is building a team for the future. The average age of their seven new signings is 20.8 years.

Failing to acquire some of their targets.

Despite their minimal expenses, the German side was also linked with spending cash on well-known players. Belgian side Gent was looking to offload their star striker Jonathan David. However, they turned down Borussia's €25 Million bid, claiming that the 20-year-old's value is higher after scoring 23 goals in all competitions last season. The end of the summer transfer window saw the Canadian join LOSC Lille for a sum estimated to be around €30 Million.

Another failed move for Gladbach was their effort to sign Marko Grujic. The Serbian is owned by Liverpool but doesn't seem to be a part of Jurgen Klopp's plans. He spent the last four seasons out on loan, and Borussia was keen on getting him a permanent deal. The Bundesliga side was ready to offer him regular game time, but in the end, he joined Porto. M’gladbach’s interest remains, and they will pursue a signing in the future transfer windows.

Eintracht Frankfurt: What are the new faces on the squad

The newest addition to the club's lineup is the Serie A side Napoli's Amin Younes. The winger is a product of the youth academy of the previous team we talked about – Borussia M’gladbach. He has now finalized his return to his homeland and is looking forward to the 2020/2021 campaign.

His loan deal is two years long with the option to buy if both sides reach an agreement. Younes impressed in the Eredivisie under Ajax, which got him the transfer to Napoli. He played frequently, but during the last season, he only took part in 9 league matches. It's believed that Younes is dissatisfied with the Italian club and wouldn't want to return. If he settles in Eintracht's lineup, the permanent transfer is inevitable.

He is here to stay

Towering at 1,96 m, Bas Dost was linked with a move to Club Brugge and Tottenham, with both clubs reportedly having a huge desire to sign the Dutch striker. Spurs offered him Premier League playtime, and Brugge tried to persuade him with Champions League games. Neither of the offers, though, moved Dost, as he remains loyal to his current team.

He joined Eintracht Frankfurt after netting 93 times in 127 matches for the Portuguese Sporting CP. Jose Mourinho really wanted to have Dost under his disposal. It was reported that he perfectly matched the Special one's requirements for a striker – his height, experience, and goalscoring sense. However, the Dutchman decided to pursue future achievements with Eintracht's kit – a decision which we can only praise him for.

Freiburg: The team saw quite a few names depart

The biggest transfer in SC Freiburg's history was the €15 Million deal with Benfica for the German club's forward Luca Waldschmidt. With such an income paired with the €13 Million received from Leeds for Koch and a further €7 Million from selling keeper Schwolow, Freiburg remained rather silent during the summer transfer window.

The departure of the goalie forced the German club to find a replacement quickly. On September 15, they attracted Mainz's young prospect Florian Müller on a season-long loan. The 23-year-old has spent the last seven years with Die Nullfünfer but struggles to secure playtime under them. After managing an average of 10 appearances per season, he was forced to look for a regular opportunity to play, and this is precisely what Christian Streich’s squad offered him.

The veteran remains loyal.

Nils Petersen, the man whom Freiburg credit most of their goals to, lately expressed his opinion on the club. He exclaimed that he feels comfortable at the Schwarzwald-Stadion and enjoys wearing the white-red kit. The striker assured club fans that he would remain a part of the squad and, so far, has no intention of looking for a transfer.

Freiburg’s top goalscorer has been tracking attention with his consistent performances in the German top flight. He's had a total of 181 appearances marked by 89 goals – definitely an impressive stat. It's rumored that several sides are interested in getting a hold of Petersen, but it's believed that he will remain a Freiburg player.

Hertha Berlin:  Missing out on securing new arrivals.

In late September, a week before the end of the summer transfer window, reports claimed that Hertha and Ligue 1 side Olympique Lyon had reached an agreement. The deal was to see Lyon's Jeff Reine-Adelaide move on a permanent transfer to Berlin for the alleged amount of €27 Million and an additional percentage for the French club in any future sale. However, the agreement later fell through, and Adelaide was loaned out to OGC Nice.

The summer transfer window has been a bit unfortunate for the Berlin club, who had another one of their targets slip away. La Liga side Real Valladolid's striker Sekou Gassama was linked with a move to Germany's capital, but it seems like it wasn't meant to be. Gassama and his club decided that its best for him to continue amassing experience within the Spanish football system, and he was loaned out to the Segunda Division side Fuenlabrada. The Senegalese is yet to play for a team outside of Spain.

The failed negotiations don't hurt as much.

After Hertha was unable to achieve their transfer goals, one would think that this is unfortunate for the club. The truth is that the Berlin side didn't see their star Krzysztof Piątek leaving the club, as it was heavily gossiped, thus receiving a bit of a breathing room. If Piatek had left, the failed signings of Reine-Adelaide and Gassama would've been of a bigger significance. However, interest for the Polish forward is far from over, which means Hertha's board shouldn't seize their search for a replacement.

Hoffenheim: Keeps transfer business local

There’s a curious trend that can be observed within the last transfer window. Five of the nine players who departed Hoffenheim during the summer were offloaded to fellow German sides, with the likes of Schalke, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Werder Bremen, and Hannover 96. From the seven new arrivals at the club, only Tottenham's Ryan Sessegnon has joined from a club outside of Germany. It's also important to mention that 4 of the new faces at Hoffenheim have arrived from either their youth team or their second team.

Eyeing up Russian prospects

Zenit’s midfielder Daler Kuzyaev was heavily linked with a move to France with bids from Marseille, seeing the light. Marseille’s coach Andre Villas-Boas, who previously managed Zenit, was looking to take advantage of the contacts he has with his old club, but it was to no success.

The versatile midfielder became a free agent after his contract expired on June 30 and wasn't persuaded by either Hoffenheim or Marseille to make a move. Just recently, at the start of October, he returned to Zenit and signed a new three-year contract. Reports claim that Hoffenheim may resume the negotiations in January.

A similar situation unfolded in the negotiations with Russia's second most honored club CSKA Moscow for the 22-year-old Fedor Chalov. It's reported that CSKA is having severe financial problems and had put a €20 Million price tag on the striker, but Hoffenheim disagreed on Chalov's estimated worth, and a deal was never made.

Köln: Will the Virsliga top-scorer’s transfer pay off?

19-year-old Nigerian prospect Tolu Arokodare has managed the impressive 15 goals in 16 appearances for his club Valmiera in the Latvian top-flight. Such a record has ranked him first in the top goal scorers chart of the league, which led to Köln singing him in the summer on a yearlong loan. During an interview, he revealed his enthusiasm for playing in the Bundesliga and expressed his desire to help the club in every possible manner.

Only time will show if Arokodare and his temporary side will be suitable for each other. Definitely, the youngster will find it challenging to repeat his last season's results in the Bundesliga betting tips. However, he has shown that he is headed towards a bright future. Renegotiating the Nigerian's contract will definitely be a smart move on Köln's behalf. Getting hold of such a potential star will at least be a smart marketing move, as his price is likely to rise. Talks will be held next summer to make Arokadare’s stay permanent.

Another name linked with an FC Köln transfer.

Premier League outfit Burnley’s Ben Gibson was another option that the Billy Goats considered during the summer. Allegedly they inquired the Clarets about the defender and got into talks with the English club's board. However, a move to Germany never saw the light for the 27-year-old, who has recorded just six appearances for his two-year stay at Burnley. At the end of the transfer window, he joined Norwich in their promotion mission, and Köln saw one of their targets slip away.

Mainz 05: Interested in Ligue 1 striker

A regular first-team member of Olympique de Marseille has been wanted all across the world, despite the fact that he scored just two goals in the last season. 30-year-old Valere Germain is an experienced footballer who has played nearly 300 professional games in France's top flight and recorded 40 appearances in European tournaments. Undoubtedly, he can contribute to a squad like Mainz.

The Frenchmen was linked with several clubs besides the 05-ers, including Real Valladolid and MLS team Orlando City FC. His contract will expire in the next summer, so his exit will become a fact. The striker has expressed his desire to play Champions League football, but none of the outfits interested in him can't offer that. His time is seemingly limited, though, and Mainz and company are likely to reignite negotiations in January.

Germain as a replacement for set-to-leave Mateta

The 05ers' own striker has been rumored to be on the verge of leaving the club, in which case Germain will be a good backup. Jean-Philippe Mateta, who recently scored a hattrick in the DFB Pokal, has impressed several sides across Europe, with Crystal Palace leading the race for his signature.

The Eagles made their interest in the 23-year-old known through an undisclosed bid, which was turned down. Mainz acquired the forward for €8 Million and are looking to double their investment. His price tag is set at €15 Million, which is beyond what Palace is ready to spend.

RB Leipzig: Failing to attract Patrick Schick permanently may have its consequences

With his extremely impressive 2019/2020 campaign, Patrik Schick attracted other clubs' interest for all the right reasons. He scored ten times in 22 league games – a feat that was enough to get him snatched from Leipzig's hands. Schick was Serie A side Roma's player, but he spent the last season on loan with the German club.

After serving Leipzig more than decently, it was logical that the Red Bull sponsored club will pursue his permanent transfer. His loan contract included a buy clause, but the sum of €30 Million seemed a bit too much, and Julian Nagelsmann’s club tried to renegotiate the terms. Roma wasn't having it and quickly found a solution. Fellow Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen was keen on paying the striker's price, and he signed with them with Leipzig's board was left with a bitter taste in their mouth.

Acquiring a replacement

With Schick out of the picture, Die Roten Bullen had to look for another goalscoring machine. The club was linked with the far more affordable Bruno Petkovic and Dusan Vlahovic. Although not being that famous, they still pose quite a bit of attacking threat.

However, neither of the two saw a move to the German team, as it was another top goal scorer who signed with Leipzig. Alexander Sorloth scored 24 times in 34 games for Trabzonspor and was introduced as the new addition that will fill up the gap left by Schick's departure. His contract was made official for the estimated sum of €20 Million.

Schalke 04: Negotiating with Liverpool and Milan to possibly sell a defender

After Dejan Lovren's departure from Liverpool, boss Jurgen Klopp was ushered to search for a replacement. He was pleased with Kabak's play and decided that a deal can possibly be done. Being a regular starter in the Germans' squad during the last season, losing a player like him would be a significant blow to Schalke's already shaky lineup. Coach Manuel Baum isn't keen on releasing the Turkish International, but the club's dire financial situation could see the board pressuring the manager.

The sum for Kabak's transfer would definitely relieve some pressure but will also cause new hardships. AC Milan was another side that made a bid for the center-back estimated to be at around €15 Million. However, this was the sum that the German side paid for him in 2019, and it's apparent that they are looking to score some income. Joining the Rossoneri felt apart, but it's rumored that Milan will continue pursuing the youngster's signature. The Serie A club has claimed that they agree on matching Schalke's over €20 Million asking price in January.

Another Serie A side want a Schalke player

Midfielder Amine Harit is another of the Bundesliga side’s main players. Similarly to Kabak, he was linked with a move to Serie A, but the team that was named as interested was Atalanta. Despite the fact that negotiations were not completed during the summer Atalanta is willing to return in January with a better offer for the 23-year-old.

Stuttgart: A striker seeking to get out

Titled the club's top goal scorer for the last campaign, Nicolas Gonzalez inspired several clubs across Europe to make bids for him after netting 15 times in the 2. Bundesliga. Despite winning the promotion, he reportedly isn't pleased with his stay in Stuttgart and is pressuring the board into letting him go. VfB bought him for the sum of €8.5 Million and are looking to at least double that amount with their asking price estimated to be set at €20 Million.

Five teams from the Italian Serie A have expressed their desire to win his signature. This includes Sampdoria, Atalanta, Inter, AC Milan, but Napoli is the one leading the race. With the summer window now over, a move might be incoming in January. Recently it was reported that Premier League side Leeds has joined Napoli in the lead. Paired with his own demands of leaving Stuttgart, a move is inevitable, and the only thing left is to be determined where Gonzalez will go.

Possible replacement for Gonzalez

With the Argentinian's exit coming closer, head coach Pellegrino Matarazzo is looking for a long-term attacking replacement. The manager has so far considered Slavia Prague's forward Peter Olayinka. The Nigerian won the Czech First League in both seasons he has played in Prague. He joined Slavia from Gent for the sum of €3.2 Million and has since had a spectacular performance. Valued at around €7 Million, Olayinka is ready to move on to a higher level in his career.

Union Berlin: Signing a controversial goalkeeper

All football fans recall clearly that horrendous night that Loris Karius had in the Champions League final vs. Real Madrid. After suffering an elbow-hit to the head from the Whites' main defender Sergio Ramos, Karius single-handedly lost the game for Liverpool. It was clearly unfortunate and quite upsetting for the defender, who was seen weeping and apologizing to fans after the last signal.

The German footballer has since moved on and has already spent two seasons on loan with Turkish side Beşiktaş, during which he was the main goalkeeper. The rumor has it that the chance of him every playing at Anfield again is virtually non-existent. After completing his loan with Beşiktaş, Karius returned to his homeland Germany, playing between the sticks for Union Berlin.

Another Reds’ man joined Union

The goalkeeper was accompanied by a teammate in the face of the Nigerian Taiwo Awoniyi. The two Reds players will spend the season on loan in Berlin, but Jurgen Klopp is looking to find a permanent solution for both men.

Since joining the Merseyside club in 2015, Awoniyi is yet to make his debut. That makes a total of 6 seasons in which Liverpool has been uncertain about selling the forward. Maybe they believe in his potential and are waiting for him to develop. However, the Nigerian might lose his patience and opt-out.

Werder Bremen: Getting new players to help out in the relegation battle

After surviving demotion play-offs, Bremen looked to strengthen its lineup with Manchester United’s young prospect Tahith Chong. The 20-year-old's own agent had reported Chong's desire to play for the German club. During the summer, it was speculated that he would sign a two-year-long deal with the option to buy. That took a small turn when the Dutch winger agreed upon a single season loan.

An option to make the move permanent wasn't included in the contract, and agreeing on a shorter loan period leads us to believe that a future move might be coming. Chong expressed his sympathies towards Werder Bremen, and if the squad escapes the relegation zone, Manchester United's youngster might be keen on staying.

The winger is a wanted man.

Chong will also be a perfect replacement if Milot Rashica is to leave the team. Numerous clubs were linked with Rashica's move. Despite the immense interest, he remains at Bremen for yet another season. Aston Villa was the team that was leading the race to the Kosovan's signature. However, a deal wasn't realized as he didn't find the English team to be a prestigious enough side.

Napoli was also gossiped to have an interest in Rashica, but it was fellow Bundesliga club RB Leipzig that made a €15 Million bid, which didn't match the €25 Million that Werder was looking for. During deadline day, two more clubs in the face of Bayer Leverkusen and Wolfsburg tried to get a hold of Milot, but he didn't sign a contract. The future is uncertain for the 24-year-old, but he will most likely leave his current team in the incoming transfer window.

Wolfsburg: Unsuccessful bid for an Olympique Lyon star

It’s been reported that OL’s central midfielder Thiago Mendes has attracted the interest of the Bundesliga team. Being a ball distributor, Mendes scored 0 goals during his 37 appearances for Lyon but managed to assist a goal seven times. The Wolves would be glad if he joined the pack.

However, negotiations seem to be hard as OL would not agree on a price below the amount that they acquired the Brazilian for. The Ligue 1 side spent €25 Million last season to get Mendes in their squad, and they won't consider anything less. This sum seems a bit too much for a team of Wolfsburg's caliber, so a future transfer is unlikely.

The only way for the Volkswagen-owned team to splash so much cash is to sell some of their main players, and such a player is Wout Weghorst. Both Premier League sides Newcastle and Arsenal reportedly had an interest in signing Weghorst, but neither of them made an official bid.

A loan deal isn't enough

The gossip linked Josip Brekalo with joining Atalanta. A deal was never completed, though, as the Serie A side tried loaning him. Wolfsburg claimed to be open to negotiations, but they wouldn't agree on loaning out the Croatian and would only consider permanent transfer offers. Brekalo's future will be decided in the next couple of transfer windows to come. He is a crucial Wolfsburg player, and Oliver Glasner will be delighted to have him in the lineup for a couple more months.