Bayern agree deals for Hoffenheim pair Süle and Rudy
January 15, 2017
The German international duo will join Bayern in July, with Süle in particular a statement of intent. The 21-year-old center back is considered one of Europe's brightest defensive prospects and had reportedly attracted the interest of Premier League leaders Chelsea among others.
Süle has signed a five-year contract until 2022, for a fee believed to be in the region of 20 million euros, while Rudy inked a three-year deal and joins on a free transfer, with his Hoffenheim contract to expire in July.
"We're very satisfied and delighted Niklas Süle and Sebastian Rudy are joining us," Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge told the club homepage. "Signing two Germany internationals is an investment in Bayern's future.
"Sebastian Rudy joins us on a free transfer. In the case of Niklas Süle we have reached a fair and serious agreement with Hoffenheim."
The signings are sure to please club president Uli Hoeness, who called for more German voices in the dressing room earlier in the week.
Versatile Rudy joined Hoffenheim, unbeaten in the Bundesliga this season, in 2010 having come through the youth system at Stuttgart and has played 12 times for Germany.
"It's an absolute dream for me to go to Munich. Bayern are one of the greatest clubs in the world," he said.
Süle came through the ranks at Hoffenheim and won his first cap for Germany last year. He didn't make the Euro 2016 squad but did win silver with the German Olympic squad. He's been one of Hoffenheim's best performers this year but said his focus won't stray.
"In terms of it being a farewell I feel a little wistful too," Süle said. But he insisted both he and Rudy "were not having any thoughts on Bayern yet, rather concentrating solely on a successful second half of the season with Hoffenheim."
The transfers are a blow for Hoffenheim head coach Julian Nagelsmann but not an unexpected one.
"Of course I would have liked to keep Sebastian and Niklas, but we are in professional football and you often have to deal with these circumstances," he said.
While Rudy is expected to be a fringe player for the champions, Süle will have to get past Germany and Bayern's first-choice center back pairing Mats Hummels and Jerome Boateng to become a regular.