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The 2021-22 Bundesliga season concluded simply 80 days in the past, and so much has occurred in that comparatively brief span of time. German soccer has loved a little bit of a vacation, gamers have come and gone, and golf equipment have toured the world over as they put together for the 2022-23 marketing campaign.
These preparations have a distinct really feel in any respect 18 golf equipment in Germany‘s first division. Returning giants of the German recreation like Schalke 04 and Werder Bremen will probably be understanding how finest to keep away from a second relegation in three seasons, whereas headliners Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund will probably be charting one of the best path ahead with out the league’s two finest gamers in recent times, as Robert Lewandowski left for Barcelona and Erling Haaland departed for Manchester City.
Because the English-language voice of the Bundesliga, Derek Rae is intimately conversant in Germany’s historical past makers and up-and-comers alike, so who higher to stroll us by means of what all 18 groups within the nation’s prime flight can anticipate within the 2022-23 season?
Soar to: Augsburg | Bayern | Bochum | Bremen | Cologne | Dortmund | Eintracht | Freiburg | Gladbach | Hertha | Hoffenheim | Leipzig | Leverkusen | Mainz | Schalke | Stuttgart | Union | Wolfsburg
Transfers in: Arne Maier (Hertha Berlin), Maximilian Bauer (Greuther Furth), Ermedin Demirovic (Freiburg), Elvis Rexhbecaj (Wolfsburg)
Transfers out: Jan Moravek (launched), Alfred Finnbogason (launched), Michael Gregoritsch (Freiburg)
2021-22 end: 14th
Will they be higher or worse this yr? Worse
Key participant: Reece Oxford
Will their supervisor final the season? No
Is that this the season when Augsburg lastly get relegated? It is likely to be. Enrico Maassen is the brand new coach, and he is been charged with the duty of discovering an identification for this membership, and this has been the issue going again quite a few years. Markus Weinzierl, in his second spell in control of the membership in 2021-22, could not reproduce the identification they solid within the first half of final decade.
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With out Gregoritsch — his targets had been so vital within the second half of final season — they may battle to search out inspiration in entrance of aim. They’ve USMNT striker Ricardo Pepi, in fact, and his January signing was a giant story, however he did not make an impression and I am undecided he is going to have the ability to get into the staff in 2022-23.
Predicted end: seventeenth
Transfers in: Adam Hlozek (Sparta Prague)
Transfers out: Lucas Alario (Eintracht Frankfurt), Julian Baumgartlinger (launched)
2021-22 end: third
Will they be higher or worse this yr? Higher
Key participant: Patrik Schick
Will their supervisor final the season? Sure
Is that this the season for the membership unfairly dubbed “Neverkusen” to finish a silverware drought stretching again three many years? I am not going to say it will likely be, nevertheless it’s protected to opine that Leverkusen have not often regarded in higher form approaching a brand new marketing campaign.
By saying contract extensions for Schick and Florian Wirtz, Bayer 04 gave deceive the notion that they are only a high-profile steppingstone for presented younger gamers. Wirtz remains to be recovering from a torn cruciate ligament and can want all his time to be prepared for the World Cup. Nonetheless, the purpose is the highest gamers — Moussa Diaby included — stay on the membership.
There’s a stability about Leverkusen that’s admirable and that is a credit score to teach Gerardo Seoane, embarking on his second season with the Werksclub (the manufacturing unit membership). Seoane confirmed he can tweak his lineup and ways based on the dimensions of the duty wanted, though the popular emphasis is on slick, eye-catching, attacking soccer.
Simon Rolfes, now sporting CEO in his personal proper having succeeded the retiring Rudi Voller, has probably the most spectacular scoring networks anyplace and it reveals. Leverkusen have by no means regarded as effectively ready to purpose excessive, though their DBF-Pokal exit by the hands of third-tier Elversberg on Saturday is a stumble out of the blocks they may’ve completed with out.
Predicted end: 2nd
Bayern Munich
Transfers in: Noussair Mazraoui (Ajax), Ryan Gravenberch (Ajax), Sadio Mane (Liverpool), Matthijs de Ligt (Juventus), Mathys Tel (Rennes)
Transfers out: Niklas Sule (Borussia Dortmund), Marc Roca (Leeds United), Corentin Tolisso (Lyon), Omar Richards (Nottingham Forest), Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace)
2021-22 end: 1st
Will they be higher or worse this yr? Higher
Key participant: Sadio Mane
Will their supervisor final the season? Sure
Whereas Julian Nagelsmann succeeded in guiding Bayern to a milestone tenth successive Meisterschale, it was the minimal requirement for Germany’s greatest and strongest membership. The second half of the season specifically was less than the requirements anticipated in Munich with the Champions League elimination at Villarreal‘s fingers nonetheless a painful reminiscence.
Nagelsmann did not tinker a lot with the method bequeathed to him by Hansi Flick however anticipate tactical modifications this season, particularly because the post-Lewandowski years start. In Mane, Bayern have signed a real world star whose flexibility — he can play large or simply off the entrance — will enchantment to his coach. Nagelsmann cannot complain about beforehand maligned sporting chief Hasan Salihamidzic, who has had his finest summer time ever, bringing in not simply Mane but in addition De Ligt, Gravenberch, Mazraoui and the precocious Tel.
But questions nonetheless abound. Can De Ligt, as soon as he will get his health up, be the organisational chief Bayern have lacked on the again? How does Nagelsmann get the proficient Jamal Musiala into the staff? Will Leroy Sane and Serge Gnabry present that their second-half-of-the-campaign slumps represented a mere aberration?
Predicted end: 1st
1:08
Alphonso Davies appears ahead to having Sadio Mane on his facet after going through off with him within the Champions League.
Transfers in: Kevin Stoger (Mainz), Philipp Forster (Stuttgart)
Transfers out: Jurgen Locadia (launched), Milos Pantovic (Union Berlin), Maxim Leitsch (Mainz), Armel Bella-Kotchap (Southampton), Sebastian Polter (Schalke)
2021-22 end: thirteenth
Will they be higher or worse this yr? Worse
Key participant: Kevin Stoger
Will their supervisor final the season? No
Final season, upon their return to the Bundesliga, Bochum scaled spectacular heights. This season, it’ll be tough to match that trajectory.
They’ve misplaced Bella-Kotchap to Southampton, they’ve misplaced Leitsch to Mainz — two of one of the best examples of progress for Bochum youth — Polter to Schalke and Pantovic has gone to Union, in order that they’re actually going to should piece issues collectively. They’re fairly effectively bedded in, although, they usually have a very good coach in Thomas Reis.
This will probably be a battle towards the drop for Bochum. They will do effectively to keep away from ending within the backside two locations.
Predicted end: 18th
Borussia Dortmund
Transfers in: Niklas Sule (Bayern Munich), Nico Schlotterbeck (Freiburg), Karim Adeyemi (FC Salzburg), Salih Ozcan (Cologne), Sebastien Haller (West Ham United)
Transfers out: Erling Haaland (Manchester Metropolis), Dan-Axel Zagadou (launched), Axel Witsel (Atletico Madrid), Roman Burki (St. Louis Metropolis FC), Steffen Tigges (Cologne)
2021-22 end: 2nd
Will they be higher or worse this yr? Worse
Key participant: Jude Bellingham
Will their supervisor final the season? Sure
This looks like 2019 in Dortmund. Three years in the past, after a seemingly spectacular summer time of switch enterprise, all of us questioned if the Schwarzgelben had been prepared to use strain to Bayern. They really made an excellent fist of it early on, earlier than falling away.
Give credit score to new sporting CEO Sebastian Kehl, who has addressed a lot of the membership’s wants. The defence has had a glass jaw for too lengthy, however the signings of Schlotterbeck from Freiburg and Sule from Bayern fall within the genuinely thrilling class. Not is there a necessity for Mats Hummels to tackle the world whereas all of it falls aside round him. Hummels might not even begin frequently relying on the formation.
1:11
Kasey Keller and Sebastian Salazar debate Borussia Dortmund’s expectations for Gio Reyna.
Adeyemi, whereas not Haaland in fashion or but substance, has a dynamic high quality that can endear him to the BVB trustworthy. Haller sadly should first deal with his restoration after undergoing surgery to remove a tumor from his testicle, and everybody in German soccer needs him effectively.
Edin Terzic returns for his second spell as coach, this time on a everlasting foundation, and it simply feels proper. I nonetheless fear a bit concerning the full-back or wing-back positions. Raphael Guerreiro, specifically, suffered an unanticipated downturn final time period.
United States worldwide Giovanni Reyna will probably be an vital a part of the plans as soon as wholesome once more, however Dortmund will not rush him. Bellingham in the meantime has been put in as “third captain,” which tells you the whole lot concerning the Englishman’s pervasive affect at simply 19.
Predicted end: third
Transfers in: Oscar Fraulo (FC Midtjylland), Ko Itakura (Manchester Metropolis)
Transfers out: Matthias Ginter (Freiburg), Breel Embolo (AS Monaco)
2021-22 end: tenth
Will they be higher or worse this yr? Worse
Key participant: Lars Stindl
Will their supervisor final the season? Sure
There may be appreciable change afoot in North Rhine-Westphalia, and it is best exemplified within the dugout. In has come Daniel Farke, previously of Norwich Metropolis, who will emphasise possession soccer, which is a seismic shift in philosophy from the path the membership had been heading the previous three years underneath first Marco Rose after which Adi Hutter. Adapting to Farke’s ideas is not going to be one thing achieved in a single day.
On the pitch, gone are Ginter and Embolo, two pillars of the membership in latest seasons. The membership have managed to maintain maintain of Yann Sommer, although, and persuading the goalkeeper to remain put is the form of stability that will probably be invaluable as Gladbach chart this new course underneath Farke.
From an American perspective, Joe Scally is not more likely to begin frequently, however he appears to be first reserve at right-back and right-wing-back, so he’ll have to stay affected person and watch for his alternatives. That is one thing of a change from final season, when he made 33 appearances with first selection Stefan Lainer lacking appreciable time with an ankle fracture.
Predicted end: twelfth
Transfers in: Luca Kilian (Mainz), Steffen Tigges (Borussia Dortmund), Sargis Adamyan (Hoffenheim)
Transfers out: Salih Ozcan (Borussia Dortmund)
2021-22 end: seventh
Will they be higher or worse this yr? Worse
Key participant: Anthony Modeste
Will their supervisor final the season? Sure
Cologne, as a metropolis, lives on emotion and a perpetual sense of dreaming extra than simply about anyplace else in Germany. They discovered the best coach for Effzeh final season, and Steffen Baumgart acquired his gamers to go the additional mile. Probably the most memorable photographs was Jan Thielmann‘s lung-bursting run again and subsequent deal with contained in the field on Reyna towards Dortmund. It was celebrated somewhat like a aim.
Cologne, regardless of a looming Europa Convention League marketing campaign, have needed to be modest of their acquisitions out of economic necessity. Tigges and Adamyan are low(ish)-cost additions who may look good in the best setting.
Being dumped out of the DFB-Pokal on Saturday by Jahn Regensburg, leaders of the two. Bundesliga within the early days of the 2022-23 marketing campaign, illustrates how tall of a job Cologne face this season.
Predicted end: ninth
Transfers in: Lucas Alario (Bayer Leverkusen), Faride Alidou (Hamburg), Buta (Royal Antwerp), Mario Gotze (PSV Eindhoven), Jens Hauge (Milan), Kristijan Jakic (Dinamo Zagreb), Randal Kolo Muani (Nantes), Jerome Onguene (FC Salzburg), Hrvoje Smolcic (Rijeka)
Transfers out: Aymen Barkok (Mainz), Danny da Costa (Mainz), Stefan Ilsanker (Genoa), Dominik Kohr (Mainz), Martin Pecar (Austria Vienna), Rodrigo Zalazar (Schalke), Steven Zuber (AEK Athens)
2021-22 end: eleventh
Will they be higher or worse this yr? Higher
Key participant: Kevin Trapp
Will their supervisor final the season? Sure
There are some questions hovering over the Europa League winners. The most important surrounds the way forward for 29-year-old winger Filip Kostic, who might or will not be with the membership come the shut of the switch window. Nobody is kind of sure whether or not he needs to remain or go; if he does depart, he will probably be very tough to interchange.
With or with out Kostic, I like the best way they’ve retooled the squad, with Gotze specifically and in addition Muani from Nantes. Frankfurt had hassle towards groups located in a low block final season, significantly at dwelling, and these additions will assist fight these kinds of ways.
It’ll be tough for Die Adler with the burden of Champions League soccer this season — it could not essentially be a burden, however it will likely be a problem — however I feel the prospects are good. I anticipate them to be within the higher echelon of groups in 2022-23.
Predicted end: sixth
Transfers in: Matthias Ginter (free agent), Daniel-Kofi Kyereh (St. Pauli), Ritsu Doan (PSV Eindhoven), Michael Gregoritsch (Augsburg)
Transfers out: Janik Haberer (Union Berlin), Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund), Ermedin Demirovic (Augsburg)
2021-22 end: sixth
Will they be higher or worse this yr? Higher
Key participant: Vincenzo Grifo
Will their supervisor final the season? Sure
Most are conversant in Freiburg supervisor Christian Streich, however what number of have heard of Jochen Saier and Klemens Hartenbach? Nicely, they’re each bit as vital to the unbelievable against-the-odds success story of the likeable Breisgau membership. Saier and Hartenbach make all the important thing off-the-pitch choices, and what a productive summer time it has been for the Pokal runners-up. To be sincere, I can not fairly consider it.
To start with, Ginter has returned dwelling, and securing such a seasoned defender cushions the blow of shedding Schlotterbeck. The additions of Doan (a giant success with Arminia Bielefeld a few seasons in the past) and Kofi-Kyereh (12 targets for St. Pauli within the 2. Bundesliga final time period) look proper. Then what a coup it was to land Gregoritsch, with out whom Augsburg would have struggled to remain up.
The previous guard stays on board, too: Christian Gunter, Grifo along with his particular deliveries, Nicolas Hofler. Anticipate Freiburg to fly into the 2022-23 season.
Predicted end: fifth
Transfers in: Filip Uremovic (Rubin Kazan), Jonjoe Kenny (Everton), Wilfried Kanga (Younger Boys)
Transfers out: Niklas Stark (Werder Bremen), Arne Maier (Augsburg), Jordan Torunarigha (KAA Gent)
2021-22 end: sixteenth
Will they be higher or worse this yr? Higher
Key participant: Oliver Christensen
Will their supervisor final the season? Sure
I acquired to cowl the Hertha story up shut, commentating on the relegation playoff remaining towards Hamburg, in Hamburg, they usually did it. That is the principle factor, and it means they are often considerably assured coming into this marketing campaign figuring out that when the chips had been down, they delivered.
They’ve a brand new coach in Sandro Schwarz after Felix Magath saved them within the division by way of the playoff, and Schwarz may have his fingerprints on this staff. There will probably be a number of operating, defending from the entrance and making an attempt to play brave soccer.
They do have a giant plus within the set-piece deliveries offered by Marvin Plattenhardt, and that is one thing they will construct on as soon as once more. I like their goalkeeper, the 23-year-old Christensen, who’s going to get his probability from the outset. And I feel Kenny will probably be a very good addition at right-back. The seek for an efficient striker goes on, although, and also you get the sensation that this squad-building train by sporting director Fredi Bobic will go proper right down to the wire.
I feel Hertha will probably be extra snug this season. The management displayed by Dedryck Boyata within the relegation playoff helped salvage final season, and that kind of high quality will go a great distance this time period, too.
Predicted end: thirteenth
Transfers in: Ozan Kabak (Schalke), Grischa Promel (Union Berlin)
Transfers out: Mijat Gacinovic (AEK Athens), Joao Klauss (St. Louis Metropolis FC), Sargis Adamyan (Cologne), Kostas Stafylidis (Bochum), David Raum (RB Leipzig)
2021-22 end: ninth
Will they be higher or worse this yr? Higher
Key participant: Andrej Kramaric
Will their supervisor final the season? Sure
The Kraichgau area is famously calm however Hoffenheim’s chaotic ending to final season nonetheless takes some believing. Frankly, given their squad power, they need to be in Europe and never with out good trigger was coach Sebastian Hoeness relieved of his duties. Former Schalke and Hannover boss Andre Breitenreiter returns to the Bundesliga after a title-winning cease in Switzerland with Zurich as his successor.
Hoffenheim have been one thing of a expertise manufacturing unit in latest instances, and anticipate to lose promising gamers reminiscent of Raum. However with Kramaric and the spectacular Georginio Rutter main the assault, search for a way more constant exhibiting and a push for the highest six.
Predicted end: seventh
Transfers in: Angelo Fulgini (Angers), Maxim Leitsch (Bochum), Marcus Ingvartsen (Union Berlin), Delano Burgzorg (Heracles Almelo), Dominik Kohr (Eintracht Frankfurt), Anthony Caci (Strasbourg), Danny da Costa (Eintracht Frankfurt), Aymen Barkok (Eintracht Frankfurt)
Transfers out: Moussa Niakhate (Nottingham Forest), Jeremiah St. Juste (Sporting CP), Luca Kilian (Cologne), Kevin Stoger (free agent)
2021-22 end: eighth
Will they be higher or worse this yr? Worse
Key participant: Jonathan Burkardt
Will their supervisor final the season? Sure
Final season was perplexing for Mainz followers because of an odd disparity between dwelling and away type. If you accumulate 35 factors in entrance of your individual public, you would possibly anticipate European soccer, however a depressing 11 factors on their travels meant the Rheinhessen facet missed out on the prize.
Mainz’s main summer time enterprise has concerned shifting on from star defenders Niakhate and St. Juste for large cash whereas shedding Jean-Paul Boetius, whose contract was up. They’ve carried out effectively to get a fantastic younger defender in Leitsch, a poster boy for the Bochum youth system, however the true intrigue surrounds the injection of dynamism they hope to get from new attacking midfielder Fulgini. Mainz are already effectively arrange in assault with the complementary partnership of Burkardt and Karim Onisiwo.
Predicted end: tenth
Transfers in: Xaver Schlager (Wolfsburg), Janis Blaswich (Heracles Almelo), David Raum (Hoffenheim)
Transfers out: Tyler Adams (Leeds United), Brian Brobbey (Ajax), Nordi Mukiele (Paris Saint-Germain), Eric Martel (Cologne)
2021-22 end: 4th
Will they be higher or worse this yr? Higher
Key participant: Christopher Nkunku
Will their supervisor final the season? Sure
A lot to the aid of everybody linked with Leipzig, they now not want to listen to from folks like me that they’ve but to win a significant trophy. Domenico Tedesco’s facet laid these ghosts to relaxation with a stirring fight-back in Could to win the DFB-Pokal remaining on penalties towards Freiburg and, they hope, lay down a marker for extra success in years forward.
Tedesco wasn’t a part of the unique plan final summer time, which noticed Jesse Marsch put in with a mandate to rediscover Leipzig’s Gegenpressing roots. Rapidly everybody — not least CEO Oliver Mintzlaff — realised that RBL had moved on to a extra full ball-possession fashion underneath Marsch’s predecessor, a sure Julian Nagelsmann. So after a torrid run of outcomes by Leipzig’s requirements, Marsch needed to go and in got here Tedesco to supply a extra becoming tactical strategy.
Tedesco has managed to get one of the best out of the magnificent Nkunku, and Mintzlaff and his employees carried out heroics to increase the Frenchman’s keep.
The squad had worn a bloated search for some time and one thing actually needed to give in midfield. That somebody ended up being Adams, who has been reunited along with his mentor Marsch at Leeds United. Leipzig will contemplate the inflow of €23 million together with add-ons nice enterprise for a participant who had develop into peripheral underneath Tedesco.
By getting the driving Schlager from Wolfsburg for €12m, Leipzig have completed effectively for themselves. The true coup, although, is the addition of Raum from Hoffenheim.
Final summer time’s signings had been a mix of hits and misses. Successful was the promising defender Mohamed Simakan, whereas Andre Silva typically struggled in his first season. Behind Silva within the pecking order, Yussuf Poulsen‘s unlucky abductor harm means maybe a second probability for Alexander Sorloth as a backup striker.
Predicted end: 4th
Schalke 04
Transfers in: Thomas Ouwejan (AZ Alkmaar), Rodrigo Zalazar, Sebastian Polter (Bochum), Florent Mollet (Montpellier), Cedric Brunner (Arminia Bielefeld), Leo Greiml (Fast Vienna), Maya Yoshida (Southampton)
Transfers out: Ozan Kabak (Hoffenheim), Rabbi Matondo (Rangers)
2021-22 end: 1st (2. Bundesliga)
Will they be higher or worse this yr? Higher
Key participant: Maya Yoshida
Will their supervisor final the season? No
Schalke actually are the nice unknowns going into this marketing campaign. I say that as a result of the turnover of personnel has been immense.
The appointment of supervisor Frank Kramer seems unusual on its floor. He was the coach in control of Bielefeld till the latter a part of final season, when the membership decided that he can be unable to maintain them within the Bundesliga and made a change. That he is been given the keys to Schalke, then, is a curious choice.
They went into their coaching camp with 30 gamers, and that can must be pared down, and it has been a case of making an attempt to maneuver on gamers with appreciable wages and recruit signees who match inside the new monetary mannequin a bit extra. We’re actually not going to know what they seem like till the season begins, the primary recreation away to Cologne.
So, it will likely be a season of making an attempt to consolidate and ensuring they do not go down once more, as a result of their final Bundesliga marketing campaign in 2020-21 was a disaster. Schalke will want additional time to remain up, however they may simply do it.
Predicted end: fifteenth
Transfers in: Josha Vagnoman (Hamburg), Konstantinos Mavropanos (Arsenal), Juan Jose Perea
Transfers out: Pablo Maffeo (Mallorca), Philipp Forster (Bochum), Orel Mangala (Nottingham Forest)
2021-22 end: fifteenth
Will they be higher or worse this yr? Higher
Key participant: Konstantinos Mavropanos
Will their supervisor final the season? Sure
The travails of Pellegrino Matarazzo and Stuttgart final season had been surprising. I believed they’d end a lot greater than they did, however they confirmed spirit on the finish of the marketing campaign to get themselves out of an in depth shave — they had been very almost within the relegation playoff.
This season, sporting director Sven Mislintat has already shipped out Mangala to Nottingham Forest; will he discover new properties for Borna Sosa and Sasa Kalajdzic? You’ll have thought that just a few months in the past, however the market would not seem like proper for both in the mean time — that may change, in fact. And one is stronger with the opposite, Kalajdzic making use of the end to Sosa’s deliveries.
Finally, Matarazzo has summed it up: they want early factors on the board, one thing they did not get final time period. If they will try this, I feel they will, and will, keep away from relegation comfortably this time spherical.
Predicted end: 14th
Transfers in: Jordan Pefok (Younger Boys), Jamie Leweling (Greuther Furth), Morten Thorsby (Sampdoria), Danilho Doekhi (Vitesse Arnhem), Janik Haberer (Freiburg), Paul Seguin (Greuther Furth), Milos Pantovic (Bochum), Tim Skarke (Darmstadt)
Transfers out: Taiwo Awoniyi (Nottingham Forest), Marcus Ingvartsen (Mainz), Grischa Promel (Hoffenheim)
2021-22 end: fifth
Will they be higher or worse this yr? Worse
Key participant: Sheraldo Becker
Will their supervisor final the season? Sure
I need to confess that Union preserve confounding me. Final summer time, I predicted a difficult marketing campaign for them primarily based on an onerous fixture record together with a tilt at European soccer. Then, when a sag after Christmas regarded seemingly following the departure of Max Kruse to Wolfsburg, the Unioner nonetheless managed to discover a technique to strike gold. The very fact is that sporting director Oliver Ruhnert is among the finest within the recreation and Union could not ask for a extra becoming coach than the earthy Urs Fischer.
Fifth place most likely represents the peak of Union’s ambitions given the power of final time period’s prime 4, however can that be repeated if Ruhnert retains signing gems? He has turned to free brokers like Doekhi, Haberer, Pantovic and Skarke to make the squad extra versatile.
The important thing acquisition, although, is that of U.S. striker Pefok. (There was appreciable backwards and forwards over the participant’s identify in recent times, however “Jordan Siebatcheu” is how the 26-year-old has chosen to seek advice from himself within the German-speaking world.) The strain will probably be on instantly as Siebatcheu should fill the boots of Awoniyi, who joined Nottingham Forest in the summertime.
Predicted end: eleventh
Werder Bremen
Transfers in: Jens Stage (FC Copenhagen), Niklas Stark (Hertha Berlin), Oliver Burke (Sheffield United), Mitchell Weiser (Bayer Leverkusen)
Transfers out: Maik Nawrocki (Legia Warsaw), Jan-Niklas Beste (Heidenheim), Omer Toprak (free agent)
2021-22 end: 2nd (2. Bundesliga)
Will they be higher or worse this yr? Higher
Key participant: Niklas Stark
Will their supervisor final the season? Sure
Werder Bremen’s first precedence will probably be to remain up. To their credit score, they solely stayed within the 2. Bundesliga for one time period, however that one marketing campaign ruined a 40-year streak in Germany’s first division.
In Ole Werner, they’ve a very good coach who believes in fundamentals, primarily lining up his staff in a 3-5-2 formation. It isn’t going to be a staff chock stuffed with stars — though Niclas Fullkrug does have that high quality in him — however principally this facet will probably be concerning the collective.
The 2022-23 season appears to be an uphill battle for Bremen, however one they will tackle. I see them staying within the Bundesliga.
Predicted end: sixteenth
Transfers in: Jakub Kaminski (Lech Poznan), Mattias Svanberg (Bologna), Bartol Franjic (Dinamo Zagreb), Patrick Wimmer (Arminia Bielefeld)
Transfers out: Xaver Schlager, Kevin Mbabu (Fulham), Elvis Rexhbecaj (Augsburg), John Brooks (free agent)
2021-22 end: twelfth
Will they be higher or worse this yr? Higher
Key participant: Maximilian Arnold
Will their supervisor final the season? Sure
Wolfsburg, fairly merely, needs to be higher than they had been final season. Nico Kovac has are available in to take over from Florian Kohfeldt, who underachieved final time period after an exquisite begin however was by no means in a position to get his staff to hit the required heights on a constant foundation.
Kovac needs his staff to play the next line, to place opponents underneath extra strain, to be much less reactive, so as to add a little bit of an edge, and I feel they will try this with additions reminiscent of Wimmer from Arminia Bielefeld. It stands to cause that with the squad they’ve, then, that Wolfsburg needs to be within the prime half and pushing for Europe.
Predicted end: eighth
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