It is a small footballing world, eh?
The January transfer window is usually a quiet time for German clubs, who responsibly manage their finances amid a window fraught with overspending. The likes of TSG Hoffenheim, VfL Wolfsburg and RB Leipzig like to make regular panic transfers, but the traditional clubs usually stand pat. But once in a while big transfers are made outside of the plastic clubs.
One such example is the free transfer of Edin Džeko to 2. Bundesliga leaders Schalke 04. Under the new sporting management of Frank Baumann, the club have managed to convince the 39-year-old former Manchester City player (and Bundesliga champion with Wolfsburg in 2009) to return to Germany for the first time since leaving Wolfsburg in 2011. The news shook German football and made enough waves for Bayern Munich head coach Vincent Kompany to be asked about his former teammate in Manchester.
Speaking ahead of Bayern’s Bundesliga clash against Augsburg, Kompany spoke fondly of the Bosnian international: “He arrived at Man City from Wolfsburg as a German champion back then and was a crucial, important transfer for us. The fact that he has continued to play at this level for so long has a lot to do with his professionalism,” Kompany said, as captured by @iMiaSanMia. “We always talk about this with Manuel Neuer, too, how they can be so fit at that age — that’s professionalism. You never forget how to score goals. With his technique in the second division at Schalke, it could be very good, he could be a very important transfer for Schalke at this stage. Because he was so important in my career, I wish him the best.”
Would you believe that Džeko is actually older than Kompany by one month? The longevity of some players is incredible. If he could truly succeed at Schalke, it would be yet another big achievement in the man’s long and storied career.
Category: General Sports
