With just two weeks of the new Bundesliga campaign past, there is a familiar look to the early league table, with Bayern Munich top and Borussia Dortmund in the leading four.
RB Leipzig fans are used to being out of the frame after their team missed out on a European place last term, and they are already playing catch-up. But Bayer Leverkusen, with just a single point and SC Freiburg in the bottom spot, are in unfamiliar territory. Die Werkself have already taken drastic action, but now we have a first chance to take a breath and reflect, with an international break on the horizon and the transfer window shut.
Let’s take a look at some of the eye-catching transfers of the summer in Germany and pick out a couple of winners and two clubs that probably wish we were back in June and they had another chance to get it right.
Winners: Bayern Munich
Vincent Kompany has been shopping in the Premier League again, and the Bayern boss may well have picked up the signing of the summer. Two years ago, Harry Kane headed to Bavaria, and was followed by Michael Olise last summer. And this year, in a £70 million move from Liverpool, Colombian winger Luis Diaz has joined the ranks. The Bundesliga 2025 betting odds here at SBOTOP already backed Die Bayern, and they have hardened since the arrival of Diaz, who has already made his mark in Munich.
And on deadline day, Bayern splashed out again to bring striker Nicolas Jackson from Chelsea, paying a €16 million loan fee, and they have an obligation to buy at €70 million. The Blues initially pulled out of the deal after Liam Delap picked up an injury, but it was resurrected at the 11th hour, and now Bayern have a long-term replacement for Kane.
With centre-back Jonathan Tah arriving from Leverkusen and exciting midfielder Tom Bischoff from Hoffenheim, this has been a good window for Bayern, who have said goodbye to midfielder Joao Palhinha, who has gone to Spurs, and Kingsley Coman, who transferred to Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League.
Losers: Leverkusen
A chaotic summer in Leverkusen has, astonishingly, led to the sacking of head coach Erik ten Hag after just two games in charge, and the former Manchester United boss is less than amused. Leverkusen failed their opening day test against Hoffenheim, and they followed that up with a 3-3 draw away to Werder Bremen, and that after leading 3-0 and the hosts going down to 10 men.
The transfer of superstar Florian Wirtz in a £100 million plus transfer to Liverpool, the biggest Bundesliga 2025 news of the window, set the tone for Bayer’s summer dealings and he was followed by wing-back Jeremie Frimpong. Leverkusen also lost two leaders in defencive rock Tah and midfield enforcer Granit Xhaka, while centre-back Jarrell Quansah from Liverpool and Malik Tillman from PSV Eindhoven are the only notable incomings.
Winners: Eintracht Frankfurt
After finishing third in the league table last term, Eintracht have started with two wins, scoring seven goals in the process, and they have also strengthened financially after a busy summer transfer window. The Eagles received a cool €90 million from Liverpool for the transfer of star striker Hugo Ekitike and replaced him with the exciting Jonathan Burkhardt for a bargain €21 million from Mainz, while Japanese winger Ritsu Doan also arrived from SC Freiburg for €21 million.
Doan scored a brace in the 3-1 win over Hoffenheim last weekend after the Eagles had slapped Werder Bremen 4-1 on the opening day. Having sold Omar Marmoush to Manchester City last January, this is a club that can bring in big fees while staying competitive.
Losers: RB Leipzig
Over in Leipzig, Red Bull have a different spending philosophy to Frankfurt, and there has been a whirlwind of comings and goings again at the moneybags club. After missing out on Europe for the first time since they arrived at the top table in 2016, the owners had a clear-out and have left new manager Ole Werner with the task of bedding in a new team, and quickly.
Red Bull have spent big on centre-forward Conrad Harder from Sporting Lisbon and winger Yan Diomande from Leganes, while another wide-man, Johan Bakayoko, has arrived from PSV Eindhoven. Meanwhile, some of the club’s best players have headed for the exit.
Time will tell, but to lose a forward line of Benjamin Sesko to Manchester United, Lois Openda to Juventus, and Xavi Simons to Spurs is a gamble. Midfielder Eljif Elmas has headed to Napoli, while experienced forwards Yussuf Poulsen and Andre Silva have also left.
This is more of a revolution than an evolution, so Leipzig fans will be hoping the club’s owners have got it right, and they don’t waste the opportunity to challenge for a top-four place again.
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