On Friday, the Bundesliga season will kick off after a busy off-season. Bayern Munich spent big after a disappointing season (by their standards), while Dortmund and Leipzig reinvested money raked in from transfer fees. Union Berlin and Leverkusen added key depth to compete for Europe again, while, on the other side of the table, Stuttgart […]
In today’s market, center-backs are becoming increasingly valuable. Last season, five center-backs were signed for €50.00 million or more, with two (Matthijs de Ligt and Wesley Fofana) being among the ten most expensive signings of the year. A great center-back can completely change a team’s fortunes. Manchester United, for example, has improved exponentially since signing
Bundesliga side Werder Bremen has recently been linked with the signing of Leon Flach, a midfielder for MLS side Philadelphia Union. On paper, this is a good move for all parties. Philadelphia is continuing to make a healthy profit off of its develop-and-sell method. Flach would get a new contract in a better league, also
For years, it has looked like the PSG superstar-recruitment project was going to end. In 2017, a star-studded PSG team was humiliated by Barcelona in the Champions League, losing 6-1 to be eliminated on aggregate despite winning the first leg 4-0. The club responded by bringing in teenage star Kylian Mbappe and record transfer Neymar
After six seasons, one final loss, and €1.24 billion spent in transfer fees, Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City superteam finally won their inevitable Champions League. While the Qatari-backed investment and financial fair play breaches have caused controversy off of the pitch, few can say that on the pitch, they haven’t deserved it. City won Group G
Relegation can be truly devastating for clubs. There’s a massive loss of income, as dropping to a lower tier means less revenue from broadcasting, sponsors, and possibly attendance. For some clubs, it leads to an atmosphere of instability and distrust, resulting in many teams having trouble returning to the top flight. Hamburg SV, for instance,
The Bundesliga 2 season is ending, and it is increasingly apparent which clubs will return to Germany’s top flight. At the top of the league, Darmstadt and Heidenheim look like favorites for automatic promotion, with both being at least three points clear of the third-placed side Hamburg SV. Hamburg, meanwhile, is four points clear from
In terms of youth academies, few cities are better than London. Chelsea has one of England’s finest, with talents breaking through despite the ridiculous sums they pay for first-team players. Arsenal’s title charge this season has been heavily aided by players who came through their academy. Tottenham’s academy, too, has produced some fine players —
Right now, there is a big demand for strikers. Bayern Munich has been playing journeyman Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting up top: a capable player, but not exactly a star. Chelsea has, despite heavy spending, been unable to find a solution at number nine. Manchester United has struggled for a consistent striker, although Rashford has been successful up
The Polish national team has traditionally been very dependent on its league, the Ekstraklasa. However, that is a trend that is gradually shrinking: in the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, just four and three players from the league made the final roster, respectively. In each of their prior two appearances at the tournament (2002 and