The first half of the Bundesliga season is nearly over and it’s been quite entertaining so far. Bayern Munich is clear atop the standings with 33 points in 13 games so far. They’ve yet to even lose a game. Meanwhile, VfL Wolfsburg (26), Bayer Leverkusen (23) and FC Ausburg (21) round out the top four.
With teams looking to the second half of the season, there will be an opportunity in the January transfer window for members of the Bundesliga to both add to their roster and get rid of the players they feel they would be better off without. There have been plenty of rumors about who could be on the move. We’ve rounded up the three most likely transactions, so here is quick look at the three players most likely to transfer.
Xherdan Shaqiri – Bayern Munich
Perhaps the most likely to transfer next month is the 23-year old midfielder from Bayern, who recently told reporters that his transfer request over the summer was denied by the team. Shaqiri’s situation hasn’t changed and his lack of pace has led to observers wondering whether or not he is simply biding his time and waiting for a move.
There have been rumors that Bayern has already made it clear to Shaqiri that he will get his chance to move when the January transfer window opens. While he hasn’t played to his potential this season, he has already shown enough talent that there should be a number of teams looking to take a chance on him. Liverpool and Manchester United from the Barclays Premier League have been rumored destinations as well as Juventus from the Italian Serie A.
Those are a few squads looking to add a talented, young midfielder and with his contract set to expire in 2016, it makes sense for Bayern to move him now. With Bayern holding down the top spot in the standings and with plenty of depth on the roster, they won’t miss Shaqiri if he does depart.
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar – Schalke
One player that could find himself in the perfect storm ahead of January’s transfer window is Huntlaar, whose deal with Schalke is set to expire in 2015. Huntelaar has not been able to reach an extension with the club and the fact that he hasn’t exactly lived up to his current deal could be one reason why the negotiations haven’t gone so smoothly. Another problem for Schalke is the fact that they are at risk of not qualifying for next year’s Champions League, which would undoubtedly lead to them looking to shed some salary. Schalke is currently tied with Borussia Monchengladbach for sixth in the standings with 20 points.
There have been plenty of rumors about interest in Huntelaar from a number of Premier League teams with Liverpool and Arsenal near the top of the list. Both of those teams are competing for a Champions League spot in the BPL but each is dealing with a lack of quality up front. While Huntelaar isn’t a superstar striker by any means, he would definitely fill a need for two teams that would benefit from his experience and ability to provide some scoring power.
No deal is imminent but given the circumstances it would not be surprising to see Schalke make a move with Huntelaar a prime target for a number of teams.
Kevin Trapp – Eintracht Frankfurt
While he might not be as big of a name as the other two players on this list, Trapp is still a very good goalkeeper that could provide an immediate boost to any team with interest in him. Frankfurt has already had a chance to see that backup Felix Wiedweld is a capable replacement and that has made the 24-year old Trapp expendable. Frankfurt is currently toiling in the standings, sitting in ninth place with just 18 points. There is no need for Frankfurt to keep both goalkeepers so look for them to move Trapp and keep Wiedweld as their No. 1 keeper.
