Sane, Meunier and the Top 5 transfers of the summer so far
The summer transfer window hasn't been open for long, but from Bayern Munich signing Leroy Sane to Borussia Dortmund's acquisition of Thomas Meunier, some brilliant business has been done already.
Join bundesliga.com as we shine the spotlight on the top five transfers of the summer so far…
1) Leroy Sane (Bayern Munich)
Signed from: Manchester City
Position: Winger
Age: 24
Country: Germany (21 caps/5 goals)/France
Watch: Sane's Bundesliga mixtape
The summer may be young, but there is every chance that Bayern's acquisition of Sane from Manchester City will prove to the best signing of the whole window, irrespective of how much business is still to be done, in any country.
A back-to-back English Premier League winner with Pep Guardiola's City side, Sane had plundered 30 goals and 36 assists in all competitions across his last two seasons in England before rupturing his cruciate ligament in last August's Community Shield win over Liverpool.
Now back to full fitness, the Germany winger recently completed his belated move to Bavaria. With Philippe Coutinho returning to Barcelona and Kingsley Coman troubled by injuries of his own, Sane should slot straight into the left-hand side of Bayern's attack.
"Bayern's a great club with big goals - and these goals suit me as well," he said. "I'm looking forward to the new challenge. I know Hansi Flick from the Germany U21s, we had a very good relationship there. I want to win as many trophies as possible." Bundesliga clubs and beyond have been warned.
2) Thomas Meunier (Borussia Dortmund)
Signed from: Paris Saint-Germain
Position: Right-back
Age: 28
Country: Belgium (40 caps/7 goals)
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What do you do if Inter Milan sign one of the continent's most promising full-backs after two years on loan at your club from Real Madrid? If you're Dortmund, the answer is quite simple: snaffle one of the game's most established operators in the position on a free transfer from UEFA Champions League regulars Paris Saint-Germain.
Achraf Hakimi will of course be missed at the Signal Iduna Park, but if Belgium have enjoyed a Golden Generation - first reaching No.1 in the FIFA World Rankings in November 2015 and there once again today - then 40-cap Meunier has been its right-back. A wilier defender than Hakimi, Meunier nonetheless also had a hand in 10 goals the season before last - a goal-involvement which dropped to four in 2019/20. On the right-hand side of Lucien Favre's preferred 3-4-3, BVB fans can be optimistic of a more prolific output from the 28-year-old once again next term.
"Borussia Dortmund play exactly the football that I want to play: exciting, authentic and natural," said Meunier on his switch. "BVB is known for their enthusiastic fans, and the atmosphere during the game with Paris at the Signal Iduna Park really influenced my decision [BVB beat PSG 2-1 in February but lost the return game 2-0]. I'm ambitious and, like with Brugge and Paris, I want to win titles with Dortmund."
3) Hwang Hee-chan (RB Leipzig)
Signed from: Red Bull Salzburg
Position: Forward
Age: 24
Country: South Korea (32 caps/4 goals)
Just like the only two clubs to finish above them in the Bundesliga table this season, Leipzig have also reacted quickly to bolster the squad, in their case in the attacking department following the departure of 28-goal top scorer Timo Werner to Chelsea.
Although the South Korean is not necessarily a like-for-like replacement for the Germany forward - and Julian Nagelsmann may yet add to the shopping cart that has also seen Benjamin Henrichs picked up from Monaco - he does bring with him plenty of proven attacking verve.
Erling Haaland's preferred partner in crime when the pair were together at Red Bull Salzburg, Hwang can both make and take chances, as his 16 goals and 17 assists in all competitions for Leipzig's sister club in the season just gone attest.
4) Lucas Tousart (Hertha Berlin)
Signed from: Lyon
Position: Defensive midfielder
Age: 23
Country: France (U21 cap)
Tousart had actually signed up to the Hertha project in January, but spent the remainder of the season back on loan at Lyon, which gave him time to score the winner against Juventus in their Champions League round of 16 first-leg tie in February, as well passing the 100-game mark with the seven-time French champions.
Despite that headline-grabbing strike, Tousart is more commonly found stopping opposition attacks in their tracks. With Marko Grujic returning to parent club Liverpool and Per Skjelbred winding down his career with Rosenborg, Tousart is the perfect jigsaw piece for the capital club, plugging a gap in front of the defence as they look to make an assault on the European places in Bruno Labbadia's first full campaign as coach.
5) Rafal Gikiewicz (Augsburg)
Signed from: Union Berlin
Position: Goalkeeper
Age: 32
Country: Poland
Rafal who?! The only player on this list not arriving in Germany from afar, and one picked up on a free transfer from Union Berlin. But there are underrated players and then there are Rafal Gikiewiczs. Union were expected to return to Bundesliga 2 last season, but the Polish goalkeeper had other ideas, saving a league second-best 115 shots as the capital club defied the odds.
With Alexander Nübel Bayern-bound from Schalke, the Royal Blues were linked with a move in certain quarters of the press, and a club of their standing might have been fitting for such a safe pair of hands. But Gikiewicz has instead joined Daniel Caligiuri and Tobias Strobl - from Schalke and Borussia Mönchengladbach respectively - in giving Augsburg's squad a serious facelift already.
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