Bayern completed two signings in one go -and not small signings either! http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/36255995 Wish Arsenal will be as assertive this season! But then I wish that every season and it never happens.
It's mental how much talent they hoover up. And what a team too. A 'silent' fee? Bizarre. Something ludicrous then. £50m plus?
I think it's a low few he was last year of contract and dortmund have asked to keep the fee out of the public as they don't want to upset the fans
Van Persie was last year of contract and went for £23m at age 29, having only one season where he'd managed over 30 league games. Hummels is a level above RVP in his position, two years younger and not with a history of injury proneness. If he's gone for less than £50m then Dortmund are mental.
Shocking. How dare players have a say in which club they play for. Don't they realise that if Arsenal fans say a player must sign for us that's the end of the discussion?. Perhaps we need to bring back the press gang?
I think its a horrible signing for German football. Dortmund were just starting to compete again.. and again Bayern just buys up one of their best players.
I don't recall Arsenal in recent memory, being assertive with respect to player recruitment. If we had won the league, AW would have come out and said, "We pretty much all we have, there is enough quality in the squad blah blah" His favourite quote during most transfer windows, "Believe me we are looking, we are searching for additions to the squad..." Just so difficult to improve the quality we have, based on what is out there etc etc!
Sad for German football and in general that one team can monopolise a league by buying up all the best players, including the nearest rival. At least with the EPL we have a larger group of teams that have enough resources to competitively win the league. EPL - Arsenal, Chelsea, Manure, City and Liverpool Spain - Real and Barca Germany - Bayern
You say that, but from 1992 until 2003 that is exactly what the Prem was like. One team outspending all others and hovering up all the talent. The only teams who competed with them were Blackburn, Leeds, Newcastle and Arsenal and 3 of them ran in to financial trouble trying to compete (Leeds spectacularly), while Arsenal never really tried to outbid Man U. It's only since the oligarchs came in and the huge increases in TV money that teams like Chelsea, Man C and Spurs and a resurgent Liverpool have managed to compete again.
It's true the oligarchs, dodgy Sheilkhs and Americans did level the financial playing field, but PL/CL/TV money also helped in making it more competitive. I'd say the EPL is the most competitive league in the world. Although Spain and Germany have the best teams, the system is rather unfair and predictable. Only Athletico and Dortmind are viable challengers, which is far less exciting than our own league.
