BAYERN MUNICH HAVE signed Yann Sommer from Borussia Moenchengladbach as a replacement for injured goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, the German champions confirmed on Thursday.
Sommer’s contract at Bayern will run until the summer of 2025, one year longer than Neuer’s current deal, which expires in 2024.
The 36-year-old Neuer was ruled out for the remainder of the season after breaking his leg in a skiing accident in December.
Sommer said he was “very excited about the new challenge at FC Bayern”.
“We have some big challenges ahead of us. I’m hugely looking forward to starting here with my new teammates, and to everything that is to come.
Bayern sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic said the club “had to react after losing Manuel”.
“We have big goals this season that we want to achieve, and that’s why we’ve recruited Yann Sommer, who we regard as one of the best European goalkeepers.”
German tabloid Bild reported ‘Gladbach would receive a transfer fee of €8 million, plus €1.5 million in add ons contingent on Bayern winning the Bundesliga, German Cup and Champions League.
Frustrated by their failure to recall Alexander Nuebel from his loan at Ligue 1 club Monaco, Bayern signalled their intention to sign Sommer after Neuer’s injury.
Sommer, who played 272 league matches for Gladbach since joining from Swiss side Basel in 2014, is widely regarded as one of Europe’s best goalkeepers. Gladbach acted quickly to cover Sommer’s exit, recruiting Jonas Omlin from Ligue 1 side Montpellier.
Former German international Rudi Voeller will take over as director for the men’s national team, the German Football Association said Thursday, following a disastrous World Cup campaign in Qatar.
Voeller’s job would be to “lay the foundations for a successful home European Championship in 2024″, which will be hosted in Germany, he said in a statement.
The four-time winners crashed out in the group stages of the World Cup for the second time in a row, leading team director Oliver Bierhoff to step aside in December.
Voeller will take over the role for the senior men’s team on 1 February.
The former International’s appointment came at the suggestion of a task force established by the DFB in December, which included Voeller himself.
“With Rudi Voeller, we have found the ideal person for the next 20 months,” DFB president Bernd Neuendorf said in a statement.
A prolific goalscorer in his playing days, and later coach, Voeller enjoys a cult-like status in Germany.
The striker scored 47 goals in 90 games for West Germany and Germany, eight of which came at World Cup level.
Voeller lifted the World Cup with Germany in 1990, winning a late penalty as his side triumphed 1-0 over Argentina.
He went on to coach the national side, taking them to the 2002 World Cup final, losing 2-0 to Brazil.
Voeller also worked as a sporting director, helping establish Bayer Leverkusen as one of the country’s biggest clubs during two stints with the side.
