With a fresh influx of talent joining the Premier League from the German top flight this summer, we examine the fortunes of those who made the switch
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iverpool have paid Eintracht Frankfurt an initial £69m to make Hugo Ekitiké their third summer buy from the Bundesliga, after the club record signing Florian Wirtz and right-back Jeremie Frimpong joined from Bayer Leverkusen. Leeds have also brought in three players from Germany’s top flight – Anton Stach, Sebastiaan Bornauw and Lukas Nmecha – and Jamie Gittens, who has moved to Chelsea, is among others who have made that journey in this transfer window. Here we look at 10 notable Premier League signings from the Bundesliga and how they fared.
The Germany international played an important and disciplined role at Chelsea in a period when they won one league title and three FA Cups. A proven player in the Bundesliga, where he won trophies with Kaiserslautern and Bayern Munich and went agonisingly close with Bayer Leverkusen, Ballack displayed many of his known qualities in the Premier League and a new defensive skillset that complemented and helped to get the best from Frank Lampard.
Kompany arrived at the Etihad a relatively unfamiliar name to English fans. He left 11 years and 12 trophies later anything but. Kompany became City’s captain before the 2011-12 season, when the club famously pipped Manchester United on the final day to win their first Premier League title. The defender played key roles in some of the greatest teams of the Premier League era, including City’s record-breaking centurions season. He left in 2019, widely recognised as the club’s greatest defender.
