The penultimate week of the January transfer window is upon us, and many clubs across Germany continue to be busy. With that in mind, here's a look at the latest transfers to have gone through in the Bundesliga.
Borussia Monchengladbach
Kouadio Kone - €9.00m from Toulouse
The highly regarded 19 year old has opted to join Monchengladbach over the likes of AC Milan who were also interested in the central midfielder. Kone has had quite the breakthrough season in Ligue 2 with Toulouse, and he will spend the remainder of the current campaign with the club in their push for promotion. This transfer is another instance in which Die Fohlen have ventured into the French market, with all three of their previous signings from the country in Alassane Plea, Marcus Thuram, and Ramy Bensebaini proving to be successful.
TSG Hoffenheim
Jacob Bruun Larsen - loan to Anderlecht
Unfortunately for Larsen, his move to Hoffenheim has been hampered by injuries. After signing from Borussia Dortmund a year ago, much was expected from the Dane, but so far it has not worked out in the way that him or the club would have hoped. Since it's a loan move to a team that is well known for developing young players in a league which favours attacking football, this transfer could be perfect for getting his career back on track.
VFL Wolfsburg
For his first two and a half years at the Volkswagen Arena, the Brazilian right back was a first team regular. However, an ACL injury in February 2020 set him back with Kevin Mbabu now the preferred option in that position. A move to Schalke should be beneficial to both the player and his new club, though, as the Royal Blues have struggled to find a first choice option in that spot with a number of players used there throughout the campaign.
Eintracht Frankfurt
Danny da Costa - loan to Mainz
Another right back joining a relegation contender is Eintracht Frankfurt's Danny da Costa. Two years ago, he was the name on the tip of everyone's tongue after a number of outstanding performances in Frankfurt's run to the Europa League semifinals. However, he has since struggled for game time after being displaced by the likes of Almamy Toure and Erik Durm. The good news is the move to Mainz already seems to be working out as he assisted the winning goal in a surprise 3-2 win over RB Leipzig on Saturday.
Schalke
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar - free from Ajax
How fitting would it be if former Schalke icon Huntelaar was the man who scored the goals to keep them in the Bundesliga? Well, after one former Schalke player returned to the club in Sead Kolasinac, another has followed suit in Klaas-Jan Huntelaar. The Dutch striker had become something of a super sub at Ajax, and after the signing of Sebastien Haller, game time would have only decreased even more for him. Now 37, he certainly does not have the legs he once had, but being the 'fox in the box' is where Huntelaar will thrive.
William - loan from Wolfsburg
Departures
Ahmed Kutucu - loan to Heracles
Young Turkish striker Kutucu has been in around the Schalke squad for a number of seasons but is yet to really stamp his mark on the first team. With the arrival of Huntelaar, opportunities would have been even harder to come by. Despite swapping countries with Huntelaar, the 20 year old is still held in high regard by the Schalke board and there's hope that the move to the Netherlands can aid in his development.
Mainz
Danny da Costa - loan from Eintracht Frankfurt
Departures
Jean-Phillipe Mateta - loan to Crystal Palace
This one is a very intriguing transfer as Mateta was arguably Mainz's most explosive and prolific goal scorer on his day. However, in recent weeks, he had been reduced to a substitute role. There has to have been something that has gone on behind the scenes as it seems to be an odd time to loan out one of your best players while in a relegation scrap. He should be an exciting arrival for the Premier League, though, and he could help with Crystal Palace's lack of goals.
Koln
Arrivals
Emmanuel Dennis - loan from Club Brugge
Dennis just seems like the player that Koln need to steer clear of trouble. Goals have been extremely hard to come by this season, and with starting striker Sebastian Andersson out with an injury, manager Markus Gisdol has been using Ondrej Duda and Marius Wolf out of position. Now, with the Nigerian, they've got another natural goalscorer in the team. Dennis also offers significant pace, which Koln have dearly missed due the departure of Jhon Cordoba in the summer and a serious injury to Florian Kainz. This transfer makes a lot of sense, and it could potentially be huge in the Billy Goats' fight for survival.
