All of the news and notes from the transfer deadline day in the Bundesliga.
Ibrahim Afellay Joins Schalke On Loan
Afellay joined Barcelona from PSV Eindhoven in 2010, but never quite settled in at the Camp Nou. Despite starring at PSV and joining Barcelona in the best form os his career, he only made 34 appearances for the Blaugrana as injuries and a lack of form derailed the career of a player who many thought would become a superstar.
Schalke sounds like a good move for Afellay. There he will get to play under Huub Stevens, who was his manager at PSV and who he maintained a good relationship with. Now 26 years old, Afellay desperately needs to rejuvenate his career and he should be able to do that at Schalke, where Stevens will provide him ample opportunity to earn the playing time that he has lacked since joining Barcelona.
Read Article >Bayer Leverkusen Will Not Sell Andre Schurrle Or Lars Bender
Neither Andre Schurrle nor Lars Bender will be sold, according to Bayer Leverkusen’s sporting director. The pair had been linked to moves away from the Bay Arena for much of the summer.
Bayer looked poor in their season opening match versus Frankfurt. They struggled at the back and were beaten 2-1 by a team that few expect great things from the season. Whether that loss made Bayer realize that they could not afford to sell two of their best players is speculation, but it sure didn’t help the chances of their being sold.
Read Article >Rafael Van Der Vaart’s Agent Confirms Hamburg Move
