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Teams in the Bundesliga are not known for spending big money, especially in the January transfer window, and that trend continued this winter.
With the financial effects of the pandemic felt deeply by the clubs’ coffers, a lot of them made loan signings and promoted their youth players to the senior team this season.
There were a few clubs who made some big-money signings, but they were enabled to do so after selling well in the summer transfer window in 2020.
It’s been a week since the January transfer window ended, so let’s take a look at the top five arrivals in the Bundesliga in the winter:
Top 5 winter transfer window arrivals in the Bundesliga
#1 Luka Jovic
Luka Jovic returned to Eintracht Frankfurt on loan until the rest of the season in the winter transfer window, and the Serbian has already made an impact.
Jovic rose to prominence under former Frankfurt manager Niko Kovac and played a key role in their DFB Pokal win in 2018. He earned a move to Real Madrid a year later, but it just didn’t work out for the forward.
The 23-year old managed just two goals in 32 appearances for Real Madrid, and he has already eclipsed that record in just four games for Frankfurt this year, scoring thrice so far.
Frankfurt’s resurgence in the Bundesliga this season has seen them challenge for a place in the top four, and with Jovic in the squad, they have a good chance of a top-four finish.
#2 Dominik Szoboszlai
Dominik Szoboszlai was linked with several top clubs in Europe, including Liverpool and Arsenal, but he eventually joined RB Leipzig from Red Bull Salzburg; surprise, surprise.
Despite signing early in January for a fee of £18 million, Szoboszlai is yet to make his debut for Leipzig because of an adductor issue.
The East German side will need his creativity to push Bayern Munich in the coming months. At his best, the Hungarian is a creative player with pace to burn, and he will add more dynamism to an already impressive Leipzig attack.
#3 Demarai Gray
Demarai Gray is a player with loads of talent, and a move to Bayer Leverkusen could be ideal for him at this stage of his career.
Gray is still only 24, and never performed quite consistently for Leicester City and was always in and out of the team.
Leverkusen are known for nurturing young players, and considering how well the likes of Leon Bailey, Lucas Alario, Moussa Diaby have done at the club, Gray should be okay.
He will hope to follow in the footsteps of compatriots Jadon Sancho and Reiss Nelson and do well in the Bundesliga. He has already gotten off to a good start by scoring on his debut for Leverkusen.
#4 Max Meyer
Max Meyer had the world at his feet when he was Schalke a few years ago, and earned a move to the Premier League. Apart from picking up hefty wages, though, he didn’t really do anything at Crystal Palace.
Meyer has returned to Bundesliga, having signed for Koln in January on a free transfer, and he will hope to play a role in helping them retain their top-flight status.
A creative player who can be used in a deep-lying playmaking role, Meyer has the ability to pick out a pass and drive forward using his dribbling ability.
Koln have managed to put a bit of daylight between themselves and the relegation places in the Bundesliga table, but they need a strong run in the coming months to ensure survival.
Meyer, who is still only 25 and was signed on a free transfer, could prove to be a shrewd piece of business come the end of the season.
#5 Sead Kolasinac
Schalke have struggled for leaders on the pitch, and Sead Kolasinac can galvanise the team. The versatile full-back played for five seasons for Schalke before a free transfer to Arsenal in 2017.
Despite a promising start at North London, Kolanisac faded away and was relegated to the bench at Arsenal.
A much adored player in Gelsenkirchen, Kolasinac was handed the captain’s armband by manager Christian Gross as the club ended their woeful winless run in January.
Kolasinac joined Schalke on loan from Arsenal, and the full-back needs to be at his best for his side to have any chance of surviving relegation this season.
