Bundesliga
Bayern’s deadline day deals
Reigning Bundesliga, DFB Cup and UEFA Champions League winners Bayern Munich aren’t hanging about when it comes to the defence of their treble, moving in the final two days of the summer transfer window to bring Douglas Costa, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Marc Roca and Bouna Sarr to the club.
But where do they fit into the Bayern puzzle, with Hansi Flick’s side already adding domestic and European Super Cups to the Allianz Arena’s bulging trophy cabinet this season? bundesliga.com takes a look…
Nationality: Brazil (31 caps/3 goals)
Position: Winger
Age: 30
Signed from: Juventus (on loan)
The story so far: After three years away, Costa made a quite incredible return to Bayern on transfer deadline day in a loan deal from Italian champions Juventus. Costa joined Italy’s Old Lady in a similar loan the other way in the summer of 2017, after two highly productive years in Munich. Having joined the club from Ukrainian outfit Shakhtar Donetsk in 2015, Costa won back-to-back Bundesliga titles in 2015/16 and 2016/17, making it a league and cup double in his first season by lifting the DFB Cup as he scored the decisive penalty in the shootout victory over Borussia Dortmund in the final. He re-joins Bayern having hoisted three successive Serie A titles and scored 10 times in 103 appearances for Juve.
Watch: Costa's top 5 Bundesliga goals
Role next season: Costa has been brought back to Bayern in order to compete with the likes of Kingsley Coman, Serge Gnabry and Leroy Sane for a spot on either of Flick’s wings. While Sane was also signed this summer, Bayern let Philippe Coutinho and Ivan Perisic return to their parent clubs following loan deals like that of Costa’s, and in a man with 10 domestic league titles under his belt, they’ve added both more experience and even greater winning mentality to their squad.
Nationality: Cameroon (49 caps/14 goals)
Position: Striker
Age: 31
Signed from: Free agent
The story so far: Choupo-Moting is another familiar face on his way back to the Bundesliga, three years after he swapped Schalke for Stoke City in the English Premier League. The Cameroon international actually made his Bundesliga debut for Hamburg back in 2007 and chalked up 204 German top-flight appearances across spells at HSV, Nuremberg, Mainz and Schalke. Most recently he has plied his trade in the French capital, scoring nine times in 51 appearances for Paris Saint-Germain while taking home two Ligue 1 titles and one French Cup, League Cup and Super Cup apiece.
Watch: Choupo-Moting's top 5 Bundesliga goals
Role next season: With PSG, Choupo-Moting spent his time largely playing back-up to the likes of Edinson Cavani, Mauro Icardi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar. He will most likely perform a similar role in support of Europe’s finest wine that is Robert Lewandowski, who appears to get better and better with every passing season.
Nationality: Spain (7 U21 caps/2 goals)
Position: Defensive midfielder
Age: 23
Signed from: Espanyol
The story so far: Part of the Espanyol youth setup since he was 11, Roca worked his way up through the age groups until the 2016/17 campaign, when he broke through under Quique Sanchez Flores. His debut came as a starter in a 2-2 draw at home to Malaga in the second game of the league season as a 19-year-old. Last summer he was part of the Spain team that won the UEFA European U21 Championship, even playing the whole of the 2-1 win over Germany in the final. After 121 senior appearances for his hometown club, who were relegated at the end of 2019/20, the 23-year-old left for Munich.
Role next season: The likelihood is that the player likened to former Bayern midfielder Xabi Alonso may have to bide his time. The competition is fierce against Germany duo Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka, with even FIFA World Cup winner Corentin Tolisso having to battle to get in there. The experienced Javi Martinez is also still at the club and may be a mentor for his younger compatriot as he settles into Bavarian life.
Nationality: France/Senegal/Guinea
Position: Right-back
Age: 28
Signed from: Marseille
The story so far: Sarr broke through as the first-choice right-back at French side Metz following their relegation to the third division in 2012, before enjoying back-to-back promotions to the top flight. A strong debut season there, with two goals and three assists in 30 games, saw him picked up by Marseille, where he again established himself as the primary right-back. In 2017/18, the Lyon-born defender featured in every match as Marseille made it through to the UEFA Europa League final in his home city, ultimately losing 3-0 to Atletico Madrid. He has turned down offers to represent Senegal and Guinea, for which he is eligible through his father and mother respectively, to play for France, but he’s yet to feature for the country of his birth.
Role next season: Described by sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic as someone with experience and stability, Sarr fulfils Flick’s request for cover at right-back. It will likely be tough to oust compatriot Benjamin Pavard in that position, while young American Chris Richards also impressed on his full debut in there, but the amount of games Bayern face means there will be rotation. Sarr also mirrors the natural attacking intent of his new counterpart at left-back, Alphonso Davies, providing Bayern with yet more firepower from full-back if they desire, compared to converted centre-backs Pavard and Richards.