Deadline day
February 1, 2010
Felix Magath and Schalke 04 had made the most waves in the market through the early stages of the winter transfer window, and they ended the period with a bang as well.
Joining the Royal Blues in the last 48 hours before the deadline were two new signings: Mario Gavranovic, a striker for Neuchatel Xamax and the Swiss under 21 squad, and right winger Hao Junmin, a Chinese national teamer whose contract with Tianjin Teda had recently run out.
As so often with signings of Asian players, some observers feel Schalke's move for Hao was motivated as much by shirt sales and TV deals as with the player's potential. But Hao revealed to the Chinese news agency Xinhua that Magath had been after him for some time.
"Back in 2008, when Magath coached Wolfsburg, he invited me to Germany for a trial," Hao said.
Visa difficulties kept that from happening, but Magath brought Hao to Gelsenkirchen for four days this past summer after taking the reins at Schalke. When the player's contract ended at the end of 2009, Magath pounced.
“What I like about Hao is his high work rate and willingness to run. I think he can help the team,” Magath said.
Magath is not the only one sitting up and taking notice of the winger's talents. In a friendly in Shanghai in May 2009, Hao gave China a 1-0 lead over Germany in a match that ended in a 1-1 draw.
Hao and Gavranovic join a bumper crop of newcomers in Gelsenkirchen. Schalke are also welcoming midfielders Peer Kluge (Nuremburg), Alexander Baumjohann (Bayern Munich) and Ze Roberto (returns from loan with Flamengo); defender Tore Reginiussen (Tromsö); as well as forwards Bogdan Müller (Neckarelz), Edu (Suwon Samsung) and Besart Ibraimi (Renova Dzepciste).
Down to the wire
Several other clubs looked to help themselves to fresh reinforcements before the German transfer deadline of noon Monday. Hanover 96, who have been throttled in all three matches since the winter break and looked out-of-sorts up front, picked up two new offensive threats.
In a long-rumored move, Elson, a Brazilian attacking midfielder for VfB Stuttgart joins up on loan until the end of the season. And in a surprise loan deal, Ivorian striker Arouna Koune is on his way in from Spain's Sevilla.
The Bundesliga's reigning champions Wolfsburg, on the other hand, have problems at the back. They've given up a league-wide joint worst 39 goals so far and thus were desperate to get some defensive help. In the end, that help will have to come from Rever, a 25-year old Brazilian who joined the Wolves for five million euros from Gremio.
Among the other Bundesliga clubs who've been struggling is Werder Bremen, winless in seven matches. Many of their fans had hoped they'd make a move before deadline day, and indeed they did - for a player who won't be able to play any time soon.
Germany under-21 striker Sandro Wagner, one of the breakout performers of this past summer's European Championship-winning side, is on his way in at the Weserstadion from MSV Duisburg. Trouble is, the 22-year-old tore his right anterior cruciate ligament back in September and is therefore unlikely to feature this season.
Mainz, meanwhile, were also aggressive buyers as the deadline approached, picking up two defenders from the Russian league. Slovakia's Radoslav Zabavnik is in on a free transfer from Terek Grozny, and Spartak Moscow agreed to loan former Hertha Berlin player Malik Fathi to Mainz until the end of the season.
Hammer to Rome
In addition to all the clubs looking to buy their way out of trouble, at least one German international got himself sold, so as to help his chances of being selected for the German national team at this summer's World Cup.
Thomas Hitzlsperger is on his way to Lazio in Italy's Serie A. The Roman club, who are in danger of going down to Serie B for the first time in nearly a quarter century, paid Stuttgart a reported three million euros for his services.
Hitzlsperger, nicknamed the “Hammer” for his wicked left-footed shot from distance, has been anything but punishing to opposing sides this season for Stuttgart. Having played poorly for months, he first lost the team captaincy, then his place in the side.
New club coach Christian Gross had let Hitzlsperger know he didn't see him getting it back any time soon, and Germany Coach Joachim Loew urged him to engineer a move so as to ensure playing time.
“Naturally it's not the way I wanted it to end [in Stuttgart],“ Hitzlsperger told the Welt newspaper on Sunday. “But that's football. I look forward to a new challenge. I had a good time in Stuttgart and I will always have good memories."
Hitzlsperger was at the heart of the Stuttgart side which won the 2007 Bundesliga title. He has 51 caps and six goals for Germany, but now faces competition from a host of other aspirants for a place in his country's midfield in South Africa.
Author: Matt Hermann
Editor: Sonia Phalnikar