News : Hummels to Dortmund: The BVB sends a signal – Sport

Now it's official: Mats Hummels is a human with two equal footballing homes. His return to Borussia Dortmund is - subject to the medical check - perfect, the Dortmund match with the Hummels obligation to 2: 2 against Bayern. At BVB Hummels receives a three-year contract, the transfer is loud WAZ and Ruhr news at just over 30 million euros, but it could still increase with bonus payments to 38 million euros, report several media consistently. That's a lot of money for a center-back who turns 31 this year. The value of Hummels, however, exceeds purely playful aspects. He is a clear signal from BVB in the fight for first place in the Bundesliga.

Often it was already the case that the people of Munich understood the rest of the league as their personal shop. On the shelves of league competition, they used as they pleased, in direct championship rivals, they grab especially like the noblest players. This has the advantage of its own strengthening while weakening the rival.

The BVB is now similar and gets one of the best center-back of the Bundesliga from a direct title opponent. If you want to be a master, you have to act like one. The Hummels change in this respect fits in with Dortmund's previous transfer activities: The managers to Managing Director Hans-Joachim Watzke and sporting director Michael Zorc have their shopping cart already with Nico Schulz (1899 Hoffenheim / 27.0 million euros), Thorgan Hazard (Borussia Mönchengladbach / 26,0) and Julian Brandt (Bayer Leverkusen / 25,0). Hummels is the biggest buyer in this very young transfer phase.

His familiarization period in Dortmund should be shorter than some of his appearances in the mixed zone, if he has no desire to talk. From 2008 to 2016 he already wore the black and yellow jersey. Under the then BVB coach Jürgen Klopp, the center-back developed magnificently, won two championships and the DFB Cup and left Dortmund as a world-class player. Now he comes back as a mature leader, with his routine, he could give the young BVB defensive to Manuel Akanji, 23, Dan-Axel Zagadou, 20, or Abdou Diallo, 23, stop, should it once again come to a narrow title race. Also Hummels' opening and header strength should enrich the BVB game to important facets. "He really feels like it, otherwise he will not do that," said manager Michael Zorc Spark media group: "This is not a simple step, it is another departure for him, I like that."

Many of Hummels' attributes will not be missed by Bayern

For Bayern, the departure is curse and blessing at the same time. On the one hand, Hummels leaves a gap in the team structure with all his routine and ambition. He has won three championships and a trophy with the Munich team since his return. The new generation of defenders has yet to prove that they can make up for this lack of success. Niklas Süle has to show that he can lead a defense without experienced defense partner. Lucas Hernández, who came from Atlético Madrid for 80 million euros, has to recover from his knee injury. And world champion Benjamin Pavard, who can also play right-back, has to deal with a weak season in which he relegated to VfB Stuttgart. All three are highly talented, but at the age of 23 are even closer to the beginning of their careers. For the Munich, there is a risk that they lose the balance in the second phase of the upheaval on the defensive, should even the experienced Jérôme Boateng leave the club.

Some of Hummels' qualities, and that is the blessing of the transfer in a certain sense, will not be missed in Munich: the lack of speed, for example. Bayern coach Niko Kovac imagines a young and especially dynamic team, in this picture Mats Hummels does not necessarily fit. Kovac had the flaw of Hummels even on a big stage flaunted, then as a coach of Eintracht Frankfurt, as he had in the Cup final, the Bayern defender Hummels apparently as the weakest link in the chain of defense on long balls identified.

This circumstance should not have given the relationship of the two, as Kovac then new Bayern coach, not just a nutritious ground. Anyway, Kovac Hummels used only as of the winter as a regular player. Hummels, on the other hand, criticized the tactics that Kovac is responsible for. Their relationship should also be a reason why Hummels now goes back to BVB.

There expect him then quite critical and vociferous Dortmund fans. The supporters had spurned the defender after his move to Bayern in 2016, but never as heavily attacked as Mario Götze. And his return had been surprisingly conciliatory. Hummels' relationship with BVB was always considered good. At the time, BVB boss Watzke emphasized that Hummels was always extremely welcome at Borussia. Still the question remains: How react the Bayern fans, if Hummels in the black and yellow jersey returns to his other homeland?