Signing a regular player from FC Bayern that Munich wanted to keep on a free transfer – only three clubs have managed to do that in this millennium: Chelsea in 2006 with Michael Ballack (45), Real Madrid in 2021 with David Alaba (29) and since Monday BVB. Niklas Süle (26) will move from Munich to Dortmund in the summer and will take third place in the ranking of the most valuable free transfers in the Bundesliga.
With Süle, Borowski & Raúl: The most valuable Bundesliga free transfers
19 Tim Borowski | 2008/09 from Werder Bremen to FC Bayern
Market value at the time of transfer: €8.5 million *Note: Kruse was without a club for around two months after terminating his contract with Fenerbahce in the summer of 2020
16 Sebastian Rode | 2014/15 from Eintracht Frankfurt to FC Bayern
It’s unusual for Bayern to lose a top performer to a Bundesliga club on a free transfer – the other way around, it’s almost part of day-to-day business. Seven of the 20 most valuable Bundesliga transfers at supposed zero cost had Säbener Straße as their destination and six of them came from the competition. Sometimes more and sometimes less successful.
BVB held back for a long time in advertising for well-known free transfers, which are still expensive with earnest money and high salary expectations, before they secured Thomas Meunier (30) from PSG in 2020 and finally convinced Süle. “I don’t know what salary Niklas Süle gets at Dortmund. I don’t think it’s a sporting promotion,” commented Bayern boss Herbert Hainer on the national player’s departure.
This means that BVB is involved in three of the four most valuable free transfers in Bundesliga history (since the introduction of TM market values in 2004). First place goes to ex-Dortmunder Robert Lewandowski (33), who completely shifted the balance of power in the Bundesliga in 2014 in favor of Bayern.
With Lewandowski & Nübel: FC Bayern’s most valuable free transfers
Market value at the time of the change: €50 million
Old stars van Nistelrooy and Raúl shine for HSV and Schalke
Four and a half years earlier, Hamburger SV provided a free transfer signing for Ruud van Nistelrooy (45). The Dutchman came from Real Madrid in January 2010 and took the place of Ivica Olic (42), who moved to Munich free of charge last summer.
Six months later, Real legend Raúl (44) followed him to the Bundesliga and was hired by Schalke, where he became a fan favorite and retired as the DFB Cup winner in 2012.
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