Sadio Mane, Timo Werner and Niklas Süle in the Bundesliga Transfer XI of summer 2022
Timo Werner and Karim Adeyemi flank Sadio Mane in attack, while the XI has Niklas Süle as its rock at centre-half. bundesliga.com has picked out a top quality line-up of new signings to watch out for in 2022/23.
Alexander Schwolow
Position: Goalkeeper
Age: 30
Country: Germany (seven U20 caps)
From: Hertha Berlin
To: Schalke (on-loan)
The Royal Blues pulled off a significant loan coup in enticing the experienced Schwolow to Gelsenkirchen on a one-year loan deal from Hertha Berlin. The 30-year-old has 176 Bundesliga games under his belt, the majority of which came at Freiburg, where the Wiesbaden-born shot stopper rose through the ranks after joining the club's youth team in 2008.
"We all agreed that Alexander had all the qualities a number one goalkeeper needs when we spoke about this position," new Schalke coach Frank Kramer explained after Schwolow completed his move to Die Knappen. "I’m ready to get stuck in with my new teammates," the 'keeper added.
Matthijs de Ligt
Position: Centre-back
Age: 23
Country: Netherlands (38 caps, two goals)
From: Juventus
To: Bayern Munich
Prior to the start of the season Bayern CEO Oliver Kahn was asked for his thoughts on the team's backline. "We're very happy with the quality we have in central defence," the former goalkeeper said, referring to Dayot Upamecano, Lucas Hernandez and Benjamin Pavard. "But in terms of leadership, communication and presence, we can still improve."
In order to remedy that, the reigning Bundesliga champions brought in Dutch international Matthijs de Ligt from Juventus. Still just 23, the defender is already in his seventh season as a professional and is widely regarded as one of the finest centre-backs in the game. "With his professionalism, his desire and his wonderful character, Matthijs fits our team as well as our ambitions," said sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic. "He will play an important role at Bayern on and off the pitch. He was already a leading player at Ajax as a youngster, and he is still capable of development even at the high level he is at."
Watch: De Ligt's arrival at Bayern
Want more Bundesliga Action?
Niklas Süle
Position: Centre-back
Age: 26
Country: Germany (40 caps/ one goal)
From: Bayern Munich
To: Borussia Dortmund
The man who has won it all is bringing his incredible defensive know-how and colossal physique to Dortmund. There was really no stopping the 6' 5" central defender once his rise at Hoffenheim began under Julian Nagelsmann, Süle's future coach at Bayern. On the books at both Eintracht Frankfurt and Darmstadt back in the day, it was at the Sinhseimers that the 26-year-old stepped forward as a defensive giant in Germany's top division and following five fantastic seasons with the men in blue, it was unsurprising when Bayern came calling.
A Germany international on 40 occasions, Süle's collection of silverware in Bavaria would add up to a tremendous weight on the scales, with five Bundesliga titles, two league and cup doubles and a Champions League winners' medal among his haul. "He's got a lot of experience, is calm on the ball and has the necessary physique to be able to take the next step with us from the summer onwards," Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl said of his side's new arrival from the record German champions.
Nico Schlotterbeck
Position: Centre-back
Age: 22
Country: Germany (three caps)
From: Freiburg
To: Borussia Dortmund
Germany Under-21 champion Schlotterbeck arrives at the Signal Iduna Park on the back of an immense campaign with Freiburg. Chasing a top-four spot for much of the season with the Black Forest side, Schlotterbeck's performances also went a long way to helping Christian Streich's men reach the DFB Cup final, where they narrowly lost out to RB Leipzig on penalties.
UEFA Europa League qualification was ultimately achieved, but it is in the Champions League that former Karlsruhe youth Schlotterbeck will be competing in the Black-and-Yellow of Dortmund in 2022/23. Emerging as a favourite of Germany coach Hansi Flick - Schlotterbeck has won four senior caps and counting for Die Mannschaft - the 22-year-old will provide a different dimension to BVB's defence in the coming campaign, not least thanks to his expert distribution from the back.
Watch: Nico Schlotterbeck - rising star
Noussair Mazraoui
Position: Right-back
Age: 24
Country: Morocco (12 caps/ one goal)
From: Ajax
To: Bayern Munich
"I chose this club because I can win the biggest titles here," were the big words from big Bayern signing, Mazraoui. The Moroccan brings plenty of ambition to back up his outstanding on-field talent and as Bayern CEO Kahn put it, the 24-year-old will "expand our options."
In five senior seasons with former club Ajax in the Eredivisie, Moroccan international Mazraoui was three times a Dutch champion and was also named the clubs's Talent of the Year for the season Ajax narrowly missed out on a place in the Champions League final in 2019. Moving to what Mazraoui describes as "one of the biggest clubs in Europe," the coming campaign boasts superb possibilities for a player who is intending to feature at the FIFA World Cup this year.
Mario Götze
Position: Attacking midfield
Age: 30
Country: Germany (63 caps/ 17 goals)
From: PSV Eindhoven
To: Eintracht Frankfurt
A man who needs little introduction as he prepares to bring valuable experience to Frankfurt, Götze was handed his Bundesliga debut by Jürgen Klopp at the age of 17 in November 2009. The teen sensation won two league titles and the DFB Cup as part of that swashbuckling side, before winning the Bundesliga three times and the cup twice while working under Pep Guardiola at Bayern Munich.
The creative midfielder famously decided the 2014 FIFA World Cup final in Germany's favour before a debilitating metabolic illness checked his progress. Cup success followed with Dortmund in 2016/17 during his second spell at the club, and the 30-year-old returns to Germany in fine shape after two seasons with PSV. He produced 12 goals and 11 assists in 51 games for the Dutch side in 2021/22, and ended it with another cup medal. Götze already has 58 goals and 61 assists in over 230 Bundesliga appearances, so UEFA Europa League winners Eintracht know they have a top-class signing on their hands.
Watch: Tactical Analysis: Mario Götze
Ryan Gravenberch
Position: Centre-midfield
Age: 20
Country: Netherlands (10 caps/ one goal)
From: Ajax
To: Bayern Munich
Another to have made the switch from Ajax to Bayern, Dutch dynamo Gravenberch was one of the most sought-after young talents in the transfer market and the midfielder let it be known he was an admirer of the "togetherness" in the Bavarian giants' squad, whom he also sees as potential Champions League winners.
As a product of Jong Ajax, the 20-year-old has skills in abundance to impress the Allianz Arena faithful and the former U17 European champion with the Netherlands has made it known he is more than ready to compete for a place in a Bayern engine room.
David Raum
Position: Left-back, left wing-back
Age: 24
Country: Germany (nine caps)
From: Hoffenheim
To: RB Leipzig
What a year David Raum had! After impressing with Greuther Fürth in the second division in 2021, the left-sided specialist became a full Germany international in the space of a year after taking the top-flight by storm with Hoffenheim in his debut Bundesliga campaign in 2021/22. The Nuremberg native produced more crosses from open play than any other player last term (188) and also chipped in with 11 assists, a tally bettered only by four players across the division.
Germany boss Hansi Flick took note and has since made him a regular member of his squads, while Leipzig head coach Domenico Tedesco was also quick to pounce on the attack-minded defender. "He's been doing exactly what we expected of him," said the 36-year-old tactician in early August. "He's positive about everything and is a guy who loves to play football." There seems little doubt that the Leipzig faithful will love watching him, too!
Karim Adeyemi
Position: Right-wing
Age: 20
Country: Germany (four caps/ one goal)
From: Red Bull Salzburg
To: Borussia Dortmund
There are some big attacking boots to fill at BVB following the departure of Erling Haaland but with the likes of former Salzburg wunderkind Adeyemi signing up to the cause, fans of the Black-and-Yellow certainly have plenty to get excited about as their team takes shape ahead of a new campaign.
A strong, quick attacker with a rapid turn of pace who likes to go one-v-one against opponents, the 20-year-old triple Austrian league and cup double winner is already being singled out across European footballing media as one to watch for the upcoming campaign. The Munich native - who was once a youth-team player at Bayern - represented Germany at various youth levels and after going on to become a European Under-21 champion, he enjoyed a goalscoring debut with the senior Germany side, with whom he has since won four caps.
Sadio Mane
Position: Left-wing
Age: 30
Country: Senegal (91 caps/ 33 goals)
From: Liverpool
To: Bayern Munich
The Senegalese scoring sensation who would slot into any top side as a first choice the world over has chosen to test his strengths in the Bundesliga with Bayern. In 269 appearances with Liverpool, Mane scored 120 times and his pace, calm but deadly finishing and tactical awareness mark him out as one of the top five players in the modern game.
A winner of six major trophies at his former club, the forward is also a 2021 Africa Cup of Nations winner. His arrival in the Bundesliga sends out an immediate warning for all defenders to immediately up their game. It also further strengthens a Bayern side that last season lifted a 10th successive league title - a frightening prospect for their rivals for the Meisterschale and a serious display of their intent to defend their crown.
Watch: World Star: Sadio Mane
Timo Werner
Position: Centre-forward
Age: 26
Country: Germany (53 caps/ 24 goals)
From: Chelsea
To: RB Leipzig
Another fine signing from Leipzig over the summer to add yet more variety to an attacking department that already boasts the likes of Christopher Nkunku, Dani Olmo, Andre Silva, Emil Forsberg and Dominik Szoboszlai. Werner left for Chelsea two years ago as the club's all-time record goalscorer, registering 90 goals and 40 assists in 156 competitive appearances between 2016 and 2020.
Watch: Timo Werner - RB Leipzig take II
The Germany international returns after struggling to consistently hit top form in London, and even found the net on his comeback in Leipzig in the 2-2 draw with Cologne on Matchday 2. Needless to say, Tedesco is looking forward to the opportunity of working with the jet-heeled forward: "Timo can play in a variety of positions. He can play on the wing or on the left, right or more centrally in a 3-4-3 formation. I think it's also exciting to see him with a strike partner in a front two. We have lots of options."
Related news
Nagelsmann gives Kleindienst maiden call-up
The 29-year-old Borussia Mönchengladbach striker has been rewarded for his strong start to the 2024/25 campaign.
Who is Nico Schlotterbeck?
The ideal modern defender, Nico Schlotterbeck's eye-catching ball-playing displays at the back for Germany and Borussia Dortmund are making him a household name, but what else is there to know about him?
"Süle 2.0" set for Borussia Dortmund challenge
Niklas Süle has returned to Borussia Dortmund determined to be a major part of their 2024/25 Bundesliga campaign.