All the Transfers That Didn’t Happen Last Week

It has been a quiet summer transfer window in the Bundesliga. Except for Bayern’s usual trophy-less hangover spending spree, there really hasn’t been much to report. Most teams were content to add a fresh batch of unknown youngsters, while trying to get some of their older personnel off the wage list. So unsurprisingly the biggest transfers have been all the ones that didn’t take place.

• Raul didn’t join Blackburn Rovers. Something happened between the happy DFB-Pokal winning / possible contract extension days of Raul and his cryptic want away mood since pre-season. Speculations aplenty whether it’s Schalke/Rangnick no longer wanting Raul or Raul no longer wanting Schalke/Rangnick’s new tactics. Anyway, despite all the talk and speculation and Raul not going to Finland, he is still at Schalke for now and snubbed a move to Blackburn. Though, possibly because he has options to move to bigger and prettier cities, like Malaga or Paris.
• Diego didn’t join Atletico Madrid. Felix Magath no longer wants Diego. Atletico want Diego. Atletico don’t want to pay his astronomical wages (anywhere between €6-9m) and would prefer to loan him on the cheap. This could go on for a few more days.
• Elia didn’t join Juventus Turin. No a big enough club for Elia’s liking/ego. Unless Arsenal or Chelsea come knocking he’ll stay and keep underperforming at Hamburg for the rest of the season.
• Cisse didn’t join Wolfsburg. Since SC Freiburg have no need to sell their Bundesliga insurance, they continue to demand in excess of €15m for their best player. Too much even for Felix Magath’s liking, who now looks likely to invest €13m less in Swedish striker Rasmus Jönsson.
• Per Mertesacker didn’t join Arsenal. Per Mertesacker would like to go. Cash-strapped Bremen would let him go. But Arsenal don’t want him – yet.

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Category: Bundesliga