The dust has just about settled following the dramatic action on an explosive last day of the 2022/23 Bundesliga season. FC Bayern nicked the title from under the noses of arch rival Borussia Dortmund…and now the Bavarians have just swiped one of BVB’s best players.
Die Scwharzgelben have already lost midfield ace Jude Bellingham to Real Madrid and now wide man Raphael Guerreiro has moved to the Bundesliga champions. FC Bayern announced the signing on Friday and the left wingback has moved on a free transfer with a deal which runs to 2026. At 29 years of age the Portugal star is in his prime and will be a huge asset to the Bavarians both in defence and attack. He was the Bundesliga’s top provider last season with 12 assists, two more than Bayern wunderkind Jamal Musiala. And the player had no hesitation when he was offered the chance to move across the Klassiker divide: “When the call came from FC Bayern, I made my decision fast,” he said. “It’s an honour for me to be able to play for this great club. I’m a player who wants the ball – it’s about controlling the game and I want to create chances. That’s the philosophy of FC Bayern.”
He’ll be reunited with his former BVB head coach Thomas Tuchel who will welcome Guerreiro as a player who already understands his training ideas and innovation. He is a versatile player, able to operate on the flank or as a central midfielder and that adds depth to the Bayern squad.
He’s the sixth player to make the switch between Munich and Dortmund over the last decade; and, if Guerreiro makes a fraction of the impact that Robert Lewandowski did when he arrived in Bayern, then he will be a huge success, while his exit from BVB will weaken the challengers. The Bundesliga 2023 betting odds reckon he’s made the right decision.
On the right side of Bayern’s team it’s looking increasingly likely that France star Benjamin Pavard will be on his way out of the club and he’ll have no shortage of offers, and his agent has already talked to Liverpool according to reports in the UK. The discussions have yet to produce a bid for Pavard but it does make sense for the Merseysiders, particularly as Liverpool’s established right back Trent Alexander-Arnold has been re-invented as a central midfield operator. Joe Gomez can stand in at right back but he has been beset by injury and Pavard has been a model of consistency with over 100 appearances for the Bundesliga champions. He’s another versatile player, able to operate at full back or in the centre of defence and that is a benefit which would suit Klopp down to the ground.
Baumgartner is a Bull
Red Bull Leipzig have announced their first big signing of their summer with the capture of midfielder Christoph Baumgartner from TSG Hoffenheim. Here at SBOTOP we covered the progress of Baumgartner in our recent preview of Austria’s Euro 2024 qualifiers and the 23 year old has become one of the most sought after young stars in the German League. And he has just become Leipzig’s second biggest signing of all time, arriving in Leipzig for a 27m Euros fee. Baumgartner scored seven goals and made seven assists to help Hoffenheim steer clear from danger last season, scoring some crucial goals in the run in, and he could be a like for like replacement for Dominik Szoboszlai should the Hungarian midfielder leave as expected this summer.
Leipzig have already been busy in the market as they prepare for another assault on the Bundesliga title, while hoping to make further inroads into Europe. Before the end of the 2022/23 campaign Die Roten Bullen tied up three deals, bringing in Benjamin Sesko and Nicolas Seiwald from sister club Red Bull Salzburg, and recruiting Paderborn keeper Leopold Zingerle as a back up for number one stopper Peter Gulacsi. And in other Bundesliga 2023 news Red Bull Leipzig are also in the market for Liverpool’s 20 year old creative midfielder Fabio Carvalho.
The Portuguese star was short of minutes last season and that has alerted a host of top clubs, with Leipzig at the front of the queue. The Bundesliga giants are reported to have put in a starting offer of £10m but the Reds see that as way off the mark and they view Carvalho as a player for the future; and so would prefer to loan the player out. Red Bull have now switched their approach and a loan deal looks increasingly likely.
●●●
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FOOTBALL STORIES & ODDS
Stay updated with everything sports and betting.
Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
