Transfers: Seven to watch in 2008

By: Johnny on the Spot | January 29th, 2008

The window is closing and the second half of the season is starting. Let’s look at seven signings that will make an impact this year and the future in the Bundesliga.

7) Alexander Bade moves from Paderborn to Dortmund. This guy will only be a backup, but Dortmund was forced to sign him when Arsenal’s Jens Lehmann preferred the pine to taking a pay cut. With Marc Ziegler between the sticks, Dortmund has been a much stingier defensive side and the injury to Roman Weidenfeller could be fortuitous.

6) Energie Cottbus secured Michal Papadopulos from Leverkusen on loan. While he has yet to score in the Bundesliga, we need to remember that the same could almost be said about Cottbus. Given a chance, this kid, who was once recruited by Arsene Wenger (a decent judge of talent), might provide enough firepower for the beleaguered club to scrape the points necessary to avoid the drop.

5) Albert Streit moved from Frankfurt to Schalke. The move for the winger, which has been a year in the making, could provide Schalke with some width in attack, as they have lacked any sustained wing-play for the first half of the campaign. The temperamental German might just be ready to make the step up and claim a spot on the German national team if he can learn a team ethic and help propel Schalke back into a Champions League spot.

4) Schalke also added Botofago’s José Roberto de Oliveira. The attacking midfielder, known simply as Zé Roberto, comes off two good campaigns with the Rio club and gives Schalke experience and flair in the center of the field. Not only does this help them immediately, as he should be able to slot in quickly for the Gelsenkirchen side, who already have an assortment of Brazilians; but it allows starlet Ivan Rakitić to develop without the full pressure of being the clubs attacking general.

3) Jan Koller moves from Monaco to Nurnberg. Nurnberg is another side with problems in their forward line and the massive Czech target man could help last year’s cup winners to avoid relegation, especially if his budding partnership with Charisteas proves fruitful. A handful for even the best defender, Koller has made the like of Milan Baros look decent and should do the same for Nurnburg’s anemic strike force.

2) Hertha Berlin land Serbian starlet Gojko Kačar from FK Vojvodina. This kid has already made his debut for the Serbian senior national side and has been tearing up the Serbian league after being converted from a center half to a holder to a striker by trainer Ivica Bržić in the summer. Expect big things from this young Serbian in the coming years.

1) Bayern Munich win the scramble for Sao Paulo’s Breno. Tim Vickery has called this 18 year old phenom the best defensive prospect in Brazil. He is the long-term replacement for Lucio at Bayern and back home. A good man-marker and excellent with the ball at his feet, he is bound for glory. He has already made Van Buyten expendable.