In addition to many direct hits and players with potential for the future, the Bundesliga clubs have also occasionally missed the mark in the past two transfer windows. Measured by the expectations or the transfer fee paid, there were the following flops.
The best transfers of this Bundesliga season are now followed by the worst transfers this year. The biggest flop shouldn’t surprise anyone. The fact that both BVB and FC Bayern are represented at least once in this list, but maybe they are.
In addition, a multiple near-transfer by FC Bayern made it into the top 3.
Bundesliga transfer flops, 11th place: Ryan Gravenberch
Ajax to Bayern Munich, 18.5 million euros
Actually, you can only make a few accusations against the Dutchman. Certainly his performances this season have been far from outstanding, but Gravenberch was brought to Munich as a highly regarded talent and it seemed Bayern didn’t have a concrete development plan for him. Most of the time he stayed behind Joshua Kimmich, Leon Goretzka and until the winter partly Marcel Sabitzer.
The 21-year-old cannot be blamed for the fact that at a certain point he was grumpy about his standing under Julian Nagelsmann and certainly also upset about not being nominated for the World Cup in Qatar. After a year, the signs are again goodbye.
Bundesliga transfer flops, 10th place: Anthony Modeste
1. FC Köln to Borussia Dortmund, 5 million euros
In response to Sébastien Haller’s illness, BVB brought in the experienced Bundesliga striker, who, however, is of advanced footballing age and also doesn’t really suit Dortmund football with his expandable positional play off the ball.
With his last-minute goal against Bayern in the first half of the season, however, he caused an emotional Westfalenstadion moment and with it his share in the possible championship win.
Bundesliga transfer flops, 9th place: Jordan
BSC Young Boys to Union Berlin, 6 million euros
GOAL have named Taiwo Awoniyi one of the best signings of the Premier League season as the Nigerian continues to play for Nottingham Forest. His designated successor was initially able to shine with good positional play and through his collaboration with Sheraldo Becker. But after that, things went downhill for Jordan. Gregg Berhalter didn’t nominate him for the US team and Kevin Behrens has since taken over the regular spot.
Bundesliga transfer flops, 8th place: Dan-Axel Zagadou
without a contract to VfB Stuttgart
The extent to which a lot was expected of Zagadou after the end of his contract in Dortmund and his brief absence from a club is worth discussing. The actually so talented, but also injury-prone defender did not get on track with the Swabians for a long time. Again he could not play through a season without problems. One ray of hope remains that Zagadou was last part of Sebastian Hoeneß’s starting lineup. Nevertheless, VfB certainly had hoped that Zagadou would form a strong half-back duo with Konstantinos Mavropanos.
Bundesliga transfer flops, 7th place: Alexander Schwolow
Hertha BSC to Schalke 04, loan
The career of the former winner of the “Golden Glove” has taken a serious dive. The fact that Ralf Fährmann is now the nominal number one again says everything about Schwolow’s season. Now he has to return to relegated Hertha BSC.
How things will continue for the 30-year-old from August is in the stars. He could hardly recommend himself recently, his goalkeeping game is simply too fickle. And his statements before the season finale also damaged Schwolow’s standing.
Bundesliga transfer flops, 6th place: Kasper Dolberg
OGC Nice to TSG Hoffenheim, loan
Hoffenheim reacted to the departure of Georginio Rutter by loaning the Danish national striker, who will probably remain an eternal talent. Only in the jersey of his home country does Dolberg know how to convince more or less.
So far he has remained completely pale for TSG and has actually not collected any arguments for the existing purchase option to be exercised after this season. In the tough relegation battle, other offensive forces had to score the important goals.
Bundesliga transfer flops, 5th place: Angelo Fulgini
Angers SCO to Mainz 05, 6 million euros
Who remembers that Fulgini switched to Mainz in the summer? After 16 games and one assist, 05 pulled the ripcord and loaned him out to RC Lens, where he will remain through the summer. The Mainz team compensated for Fulgini’s ineffectiveness mainly because Jae-Sung Lee and Leandro Barreiro provided a solid midfield axis throughout the season. Nevertheless, such bad investments hurt Mainz.
Bundesliga transfer flops, 4th place: Luca Pellegrini
Juventus to Eintracht Frankfurt, loan
The former Italian international did not even play 600 minutes in the Bundesliga and after half a series now kicks for the coming runners-up Lazio, although his presence there is even smaller than before in the service of Eintracht Frankfurt.
Actually, Pellegrini should help ensure that the left side of the SBU does not completely flag up after the departure of Filip Kostic. However, nothing came of it. In any case, Pellegrini only worked in the back four, which Oliver Glasner eventually rejected.
Bundesliga transfer flops, 3rd place: Callum Hudson-Odoi
Chelsea to Bayer Leverkusen, loan
Bayer’s managers certainly knew that they weren’t bringing a simple guy into the house with “CHO”. Although Thomas Tuchel once wanted to build on him, the Chelsea coach at the time gave up the Hudson-Odoi project, so to speak.
However, the loan to Leverkusen did not bring the desired breakthrough for the Englishman either. And given an ultra-strong right flank with Jeremie Frimpong and Moussa Diaby, who would currently demand a lot of minutes for Hudson-Odoi?
Bundesliga transfer flops, 2nd place: Wilfried Kanga
BSC Young Boys to Hertha BSC, 5 million euros
Part of Hertha BSC’s relegation story is the ineffectiveness in the nine position. Stevan Jovetić had to try a few times up front, although the Montenegrin is actually a shadow striker.
The purchase of Florian Niederlechner was also a result of Kanga’s goal safety. Two goals in 15 appearances make him look even worse than his former Young Boys colleague Jordan. Somehow the connection between the two capitals did not fit, at least in terms of strikers.
Bundesliga transfer flops, 1st place: Sadio Mané
Liverpool to Bayern Munich, 32 million euros
Everything has been said and written about Mané. When Bayern were about to lose the home game against RB Leipzig, Tuchel preferred to rely on teenager Mathys Tel instead of the former Anfield striker. Mané sometimes seems lacking in intensity, not integrated and, with his dropout after the away game against Manchester City, also caused negative headlines far beyond Germany.
For Bayern it was one of the biggest mistakes of the past decades, because Mané earns around 20 million euros a year – there are no potential buyers in sight if the sheikhs from Saudi Arabia don’t show mercy. It has come to this.
Or do you think Mané is being wronged? Was another player the biggest flop of the transfer window for you? Write it in the comments!
