VfL Bochum and SpVgg Greuther Fürth both made two signings on deadline day, as the transfer window closed for the 2. Bundesliga clubs.
Bochum have signed Sidney Sam from Schalke 04 and Robert Tesche from Birmingham City, however Peniel Mlapa has left to join Dynamo Dresden.
Julian Green is the standout arrival for managerless Fürth, joining on loan from VfB Stuttgart, whilst the Shamrocks have also signed Levent Aycicek from Werder Bremen.
Sam and Tesche arrive at the Ruhrstadion
Bochum made one of the more intriguing moves of deadline day, with 29-year-old Schalke outcast Sam signing a two-year deal. He made just 22 appearances for the Royal Blues after joining them from Bayer Leverkusen in 2014. He spent the second half of last season on loan with SV Darmstadt 98, scoring two goals in 13 matches.
Sporting Director Christian Hochstätter believes that Sam will “increase the quality of our squad enormously.” He added that the club had “wanted to strengthen ourselves in attack, on the wide positions, and we have now found in our eyes the ideal solution.”
Former Arminia Bielefeld, Hamburger SV and Fortuna Düsseldorf midfielder Tesche has meanwhile returned to Germany, on loan, after three years in England. Despite a relatively successful spell playing in the Championship for Nottingham Forest and Birmingham, he appeared to be surplus to requirements for Harry Redknapp, with Hochstätter saying that Bochum were “delighted to have gained an experienced player” with the 30-year-old.
Having failed to start any of Bochum’s games so far this season, Mlapa moves to Dresden to no doubt provide cover for the injured Pascal Testroet. He scored 13 times for Bochum after signing from Borussia Mönchengladbach two years ago.
Green on the move again
Despite parting company with Janos Radoki earlier in the week, Fürth still got on with strengthening the side as they look to recover from losing all of their first four league games so far this season.
Green joins on loan from Stuttgart, having scored just one since his move there from Bayern Munich in January. Ramazan Yildirim, Fürth’s Director of Professional Football, said that the American forward would “strengthen our squad, especially on the wings.”
Also moving to Franconia is Aycicek, with the attacking midfielder signing until 2019 with the Shamrocks. He made 14 appearances for his former side Bremen, mostly from the bench, but also has plenty of 2. Bundesliga from his recent 18-month spell with 1860 Munich, playing 37 times in the division for them before their relegation at the end of last season.
Like Bochum they have also let one go. The Norwegian international striker Veton Berisha leaves to join Austrian giants Rapid Vienna, having gone goalless during Fürth’s disastrous start to the new campaign.
Braunschweig sign Yildirim as Düsseldorf and Kaiserslautern bring in strikers
Elsewhere, Eintracht Braunschweig acquired the services of attacking midfielder Özkan Yildirim, who arrives from league leaders Fortuna Düsseldorf having been yet to make an appearance for them. Heading to Düsseldorf though was Benito Raman, with the Standard Liège striker joining Friedhelm Funkel’s side on a year’s loan.
1. FC Kaiserslautern also strengthened their attack after a poor start to the season. Swedish goal-getter Sebastian Andersson joins from IFK Norrköping, where he scored 28 goals in 64 matches. Jacques Zoua, along with Naser Aliji, were released by the Red Devils.
After losing goalkeeper Marco Knaller to FC Ingolstadt 04, SV Sandhausen have turned to Goran Karacic to provide cover for Marcel Schuhen. The Bosnia and Herzegovina under-21 international joins on loan from Turkish side Adanaspor, having struggled to establish himself as number one there. Knaller will act as the replacement for Martin Hansen for Die Schanzer, as he has moved on loan to SC Heerenveen for the rest of the calendar year.
Finally, in a deal that was only confirmed on Friday, Holstein Kiel have signed Johannes van den Bergh on a one-year contract from Getafe CF. The defender, was on loan with Fürth last season, has been brought in following an injury to Christopher Lenz.
Quotes via VfL Bochum and SpVgg Greuther Fürth.