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Hertha Berlin have completed the signing of Bayern Munich winger Mitchell Weiser on a three-year contract.
Weiser moved to the Allianz Arena ahead of the 2012-13 season and spent the second half of that campaign on loan at Kaiserslautern.
The 21-year-old has found regular first-team football hard to come by in Munich, although he did manage 13 Bundesliga appearances last term thanks largely to injuries to the likes of Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery.
Weiser, who came through the ranks at Cologne, has now opted for a fresh challenge at Hertha where he will hope to secure more regular starts.
Speaking about the signing, Hertha general manager Michael Preetz told the club's official website: "Mitchell is a young, viable player who plays mainly on the right-hand side who has a lot of speed."
During his time at Bayern, Weiser won two Bundesliga titles and the DFB-Pokal in 2014.
Schalke captain Benedikt Howedes claims he has unfinished business with his boyhood club after turning down opportunities to leave Germany.
The 27-year-old defender is a one-club man, having joined club's youth setup in 2001, but was heavily linked with a transfer abroad until general manager Horst Heldt revealed on Sunday that Howedes would stay.
Speaking to Kicker, Howedes confirmed he was tempted to leave - with Arsenal and Milan rumoured to be the clubs to have made offers - but did not think the time was right.
During Howedes' eight seasons in Schalke's first team, they have only finished lower than fourth twice, including 2014-15 where they claimed sixth, but he has only added two winners' medal to his collection - the 2011 DFB-Pokal and 2011 DFL Supercup.
"The fact is that there were very interesting offers from big clubs, but I do not see my time here as finished," the Germany international said.
Howedes added that new Schalke coach Andre Breitenreiter, who was in charge of Paderborn last season, had helped convince him to stay at the Veltins Arena.
Breitenreiter led Paderborn to the Bundesliga for the first time in their history at the end of the 2013-14 season but could not keep them in the top flight in 2014-15 as they finished last.
"I know the coach is just beginning his career. But his positive nature, his enthusiasm for football and for Schalke have convinced me," Howedes said.
"His work in Paderborn was for good football and good for team spirit."
Mitch Langerak revealed Borussia Dortmund were caught off guard by Jurgen Klopp's decision to relinquish his role as coach at the end of the 2014-15 Bundesliga season.
Klopp - since replaced by Thomas Tuchel - ended his seven-year association with Dortmund following last month's DFB Pokal defeat to Wolfsburg, despite having a contract that ran until 2018.
The German boss, who announced his decision to walk away from Signal Iduna Park in April, left the club with iconic status after winning the Bundesliga twice and the DFB Pokal in 2012, as well as reaching the 2013 UEFA Champions League final.
Dortmund's 2014-15 campaign was not as successful for the 48-year-old, whose team remarkably flirted with relegation at the mid-season break before rallying to finish in the UEFA Europa League places.
Despite the topsy-turvy season, Dortmund goalkeeper Langerak told Perform the club were surprised Klopp opted to depart.
"For all the players it was an emotional time. It was an end of an era. We had such a successful time together. For all the boys it was a bit of a shame," said the Australia international.
"He was there for seven years, I was there for five of those and probably the five most successful. We won titles and reached some great times as a team.
"It was fantastic to be part of that. Obviously with him stepping down it was a shock for everybody, myself included.
"We've all had our chance to say goodbye and thank him for what he's done for our careers.
"It's something we will look back on and remember for years to come for what we achieved."
Klopp had a particularly significant influence on Langerak, having plucked the Australian from obscurity five years ago.
Langerak - 21 at the time - linked up with the German giants from A-League outfit Melbourne Victory in 2010, brought in as back up for international Roman Weidenfeller.
He has, however, slowly forced himself into first-choice reckoning, staking his claim for Dortmund's number one position with 17 appearances in all competitions last term - his best return since arriving in Europe.
"He had a massive impact on my career. When I came to Germany I was quite young," Langerak said of Klopp, who once described him as a beach boy from Australia.
"I knew I was coming to a massive club and it wasn't going to be easy, but he definitely made the transition smooth for me.
"Over time I got my chance and played some games under him. As a person, as a coach, his mentality is brilliant. He's very charismatic and passionate. You know what you are going to get. If you perform or you give everything you have, he will be happy regardless of the outcome of the game.
"If you take his instructions, you will never have problem with him and that is something he told me in my first meeting with him before I signed."
Torino have completed the signing of Afriyie Acquah on a four-year deal, with the Ghana international ending his fruitless two-year stay at Hoffenheim.
The 23-year-old midfielder moved to Hoffenheim from Palermo in 2013 but never featured for the Bundesliga side, instead returning to Italy for a second loan spell at Parma as well as a stint at Sampdoria.
While Acquah had two years left to run on his deal at the Rhein-Neckar-Arena, Torino have moved to sign the Ghanaian until 2019.
Acquah's form for Parma in recent seasons saw him named in Ghana's squads for the 2014 World Cup as well as the Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year.
Cologne have completed the signing of Hoffenheim striker Anthony Modeste for an undisclosed fee.
The French striker has scored 19 league goals in two seasons with Hoffenheim, and penned a four-year deal until June 2019 with fellow Bundesliga side Cologne.
"Anthony fits as a robust, prolific striker exactly to our requirements," managing director Jorg Schmadtke told Cologne's official website.
Modeste added: "Cologne is one of the biggest and most prestigious clubs in Germany.
"Even for players of the visiting team a game at the Rhein Energie Stadium is an absolute highlight."
Modeste had spells with the likes of Nice, Bordeaux, Blackburn Rovers and Bastia before joining Hoffenheim ahead of the 2013-14 season.
Thomas Muller has warned Bayern Munich to be wary of a Borussia Dortmund backlash in the Bundesliga next season.
Bayern cantered to their third straight German title in 2014-15 but it was Wolfsburg who provided the main threat to their dominance rather than Dortmund.
In recent times it has largely been the men from Signal Iduna Park who have provided the biggest challenge to Bayern, but they endured a difficult season in which they finished seventh having headed into the mid-season break bottom of the league.
However, with Thomas Tuchel having replaced long-serving head coach Klopp, Bayern forward Muller is braced for a renewed challenge.
"They've changed their coach, they still have a great squad. Everything doesn't change that fast," Muller said.
"Obviously Dortmund haven't played a good season, not for their own standards as well. Everybody knows that.
"However, everybody knows how difficult it is to win a match against Dortmund. I think it’s nice if things shake up a bit, as long as first place doesn't change."
Muller has also set his sights on Bayern becoming the first team to win the Bundesliga four seasons in a row.
He added: "One particular goal comes to mind. No team has ever won the Bundesliga title four times in a row. It's never happened before.
"There are many records which we have broken or missed out on over the last few years and I like this particular one very much. It would be great and that's what we'll work for."
Zorc quells rumours over Papastathopoulos and Bender
20 June 2015
Borussia Dortmund's sporting director Michael Zorc says both Sokratis Papastathopoulos and Sven Bender have a part to play in Thomas Tuchel's debut season at the club.
Defender Papastathopoulos and midfielder Bender have been linked with moves to various Premier League clubs as Dortmund prepare to start a new chapter following Jurgen Klopp's departure.
With Tuchel potentially looking to reshuffle his squad during the close-season, rumours had emerged that the pair could be set to leave, with both having been frustrated by injuries last term.
However, Zorc told Sky Sports News in Germany: "All speculation about Sokratis and Bender is completely irrelevant.
"We plan to use them both."
While Tuchel's men have yet to report back for pre-season training, Dortmund have already brought in the likes of goalkeeper Roman Burki and midfield pair Julian Weigl and Gonzalo Castro.
Schalke have completed the signing of Mainz midfielder Johannes Geis on a four-year deal.
Geis has impressed since moving to the Coface Arena ahead of the 2013-14 season, and scored five goals in 67 Bundesliga appearances for Mainz.
The 21-year-old, who is currently representing Germany's Under-21 team at the European Championship with new Schalke team-mate Max Meyer, has now opted for a new challenge.
"Schalke fascinates me. The stadium, the fans, playing in the Veltins Arena is something special," he told the club's official website. "I want to roll up my sleeves and work hard.
"It could be the start of something new at Schalke and I want to play my part in that."
Schalke's sporting director Horst Heldt added: "We are delighted that one of the most coveted young players has chosen to join our club.
"Johannes possesses many great qualities, his dangerous set pieces, his passing game and his ability to find a man in space make him one of the Bundesliga's best central defensive midfielders.
"The fact that he was already captain at Mainz at such a young age shows that he can and wants to take on responsibility."
Ilkay Gundogan is considering a U-turn on his Borussia Dortmund future after originally stating his intention to the leave the club, according to the player's agent.
The Germany international stated in April that he would be departing Signal Iduna Park, despite having a year left to run on his contract.
Gundogan's situation left several teams across Europe on red alert, with the likes of Manchester United and Dortmund's Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich reportedly interested.
However, it now appears that Gundogan may stay put and play on at Dortmund under the stewardship of new head coach Thomas Tuchel next season.
"This [staying at Dortmund] is clearly an option again," his agent and uncle Ilhan Gundogan told Sueddeutsche Zeitung.
"It is true that Ilkay could find it easier in a familiar, comfortable environment to come back to his old level."
Gundogan made 23 league appearances for Dortmund last season.
Switzerland international Fabian Frei is set to join Mainz from Basel, agreeing terms on a four-year deal, following fellow midfielder Johannes Geis' departure from the Coface Arena.
The Swiss champions announced the transfer on Tuesday, with Frei to undergo a medical before completing his move next month.
The 26-year-old - who scored against Liverpool at Anfield in the UEFA Champions League last December - has been with Basel for a decade and made 31 league appearances in their title-winning campaign last time out - the club's sixth in a row.
He missed two of those seasons after being sent on loan to St Gallen, while his international bow came in October 2011 against Wales.
Geis' switch to Schalke was confirmed earlier in the day, while Mainz have already made close-season moves for Leon Balogun, Florian Niederlechner, Yoshinori Muto and Danny Latza.
Coach Martin Schmidt, who took over from Kasper Hjulmand in February, will be seeking to improve on last season's finishing position of 11th.
Wolfsburg coach Dieter Hecking has ruled out the sale of striker Bas Dost amid reported interest from Premier League side Newcastle United.
The Netherlands international scored 20 goals in all competitions last season as Wolfsburg clinched the DFB-Pokal and finished second behind champions Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga.
With UEFA Champions League football awaiting next season, Wolfsburg have signed forward Max Kruse from Borussia Monchengladbach and have been linked with the likes of Javier Hernandez and Fernando Llorente.
Dost is believed to be the subject of interest from Newcastle, although Hecking refutes suggestions the 26-year-old will be on his way to St James' Park, questioning why the move would appeal.
"We do not want to sell," Hecking told the Wolfsburger Allgemeine.
"Why would Bas go there? He can play Champions League with us. He won't be able to do that at Newcastle this season or probably the season after or the season after that.
"Bas has progressed with us in these nine months in the right direction. He has shown in particular that he can maintain his goal rate if he works more for the team.
"This is a very special quality. When he stays with us, he will improve his goal ratio even more, I'm pretty sure."
Brazil forward Roberto Firmino insisted he is solely focused on the Copa America amid growing speculation the Hoffenheim star is set to join Liverpool.
Firmino is believed to be on the brink of a move to Anfield after reports on Tuesday claimed that Liverpool have agreed a deal with the Bundesliga club.
However, the 23-year-old – preparing for a Copa America quarter-final showdown with Paraguay – attempted to distance himself from talk of an imminent switch to the Premier League.
"My life is here at the Copa America, and I'm thinking only about the Copa," Firmino told a media conference on Tuesday.
"It is in God's hands, until things are decided at the end. For now, I have a contract with Hoffenheim until 2017."
Firmino, who has also been linked with Manchester United, Arsenal and Zenit, scored 10 goals in 36 matches in all competitions last term, seven of those coming in the Bundesliga.
Borussia Monchengladbach have completed the signing of young Swiss defender Nico Elvedi from FC Zurich on a four-year contract.
The 18-year-old will undergo a medical before signing a deal until 2019 to seal a switch to the Bundesliga side for an undisclosed fee.
"Nico is a great talent," said sporting director Max Eberl. "He can play as a central defender or right back, or in central midfield, and although he is only 18 he already has plenty of experience.
"We are very pleased we were able to sign him."
Elvedi is the second teenager in as many days to make the switch to Borussia Park following England Under-18 full back Mandela Egbo's arrival on Tuesday.
Bundesliga outfit Stuttgart have completed the signings of PSV goalkeeper Przemyslaw Tyton and former Paderborn midfielder Lukas Rupp.
Three wins from their final three games saw Stuttgart leap off the bottom of the table to safety, and they have set about strengthening their squad in an attempt to ensure they avoid another difficult season.
Tyton has agreed a two-year deal with the club after finding himself surplus to requirements at Eredivisie champions PSV, the 28-year-old spending the previous campaign on loan at Elche.
"We have closely monitored him [Tyton] and that gave us a comprehensive picture of his abilities," said sporting director Robin Dutt.
"Our goalkeeping coach Andreas Menger was fully involved in the process, and he is convinced that Przemyslaw possesses all the skills to survive in the Bundesliga."
Rupp has agreed a contract until 2018 after being released by Paderborn following their relegation, the midfielder having scored four goals in 31 league Bundesliga appearances.
