Bayern started the earthquake on the German transfer market, announcing the signing of the Japanese Hiroki Ito. The 25-year-old centre-back spent the last two years at Stuttgart, and the Bavarians activated the release clause of as much as 28 million euros. The club from Munich must have taken seriously the terrible season behind them and already started strengthening the squad. While waiting for Alphonso Davies’ contract extension and the possible transfer of Leverkusen’s Jonathan Tah, they brought the third most expensive selling of Die Roten. Interestingly, the first two – Mario Gómez and Benjamin Pavard – also moved to Bayern.The player pointed out his happiness because of the transfer in his statement on Bayern’s official website.”It’s a great honour for me to be able to play for one of the biggest clubs in the world. FC Bayern is also a big name in Japan. I always gave my all for VfB Stuttgart and am grateful to the club. Now I’m looking forward to the challenge in Munich and I want to play my part in FC Bayern winning lots of trophies. It was time to take a new step, and for me FC Bayern is the perfect club to do so,” Ito said.Willkommen in München, Hiroki #Ito! 👋🔴⚪#ServusHiroki #MiaSanMia pic.twitter.com/WvHhsHaLqW— FC Bayern München (@FCBayern) June 13, 2024 Hiroki Ito signed his first professional contract in 2018 with the Japanese side Jubilo Iwata. He played a total of 60 league games for the club but made a breakthrough on loan at Nagoya Grampus before joining Stuttgart ahead of the season 2021/22. At the MHPArena, he played in 97 games and scored two goals. Ito is left-footed, so he can also do a good job as a left-back. He played 26 Bundesliga matches in the recently ended season and thus helped Stuttgart win second place and qualify for the Champions League after 14 years.The defender debuted for the Japanese national team in June 2022 and has played 19 games and scored one goal since then. He also played at the 2022 World Cup, where his team reached the knockout stage and narrowly lost on penalties to Croatia in the round of 16. Bayern only had a little experience with the Japanese in the past. Only Takashi Usami played five games for the senior team in the 2011/12 season. An incomparably more important role is planned for Ito, who will be the fifth centre-back available to Vincent Kompany alongside Matthijs de Ligt, Kim Min-jae, Dayot Upamecano and Eric Dier.Alonso candidly on his moments of doubt: ‘How did I get into this crazy profession?’Just a couple of hours later, Leverkusen made a transfer announcement as well. A former Villarreal and Manchester City player, the 26-year-old Aleix García, joined the ranks of the German champion from Girona. Barcelona wanted him, but Bayer Leverkusen got him. The contract was signed until the end of June 2029, and the financial details have yet to be officially stated, but it is said to be a fixed sum of 18 million euros, plus an additional bonus of 2 million if certain conditions are met.Bienvenido Aleix Garcia! 🇪🇸✍️The 26-year-old midfielder signs a contract under the cross until 2029! Vamooooos! 😍#Bayer04 #Werkself @97_aleix pic.twitter.com/Vr8mrDrocg— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) June 13, 2024 García has a very successful season in Girona’s jersey, given that the club managed to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in its history. He will not, however, represent the Catalans in the elite competition but will participate with the new champion of Germany.”Probably like football fans in the whole of Europe, I have admired Bayer 04 Leverkusen for their exceptional achievements in the season just gone. I’ve been thrilled that a club like this has done so much to get me. Now I definitely want to fulfil all the expectations of me and make my contribution to this team and the club in continuing to be successful,” said García for Bayer’s official website.##NAJAVA_MECA_8154653##The Spaniard spent the previous three seasons in Girona, during which the team was promoted to La Liga and wrote the most beautiful page in its history after ending the last season in the third spot. Good performance in Míchel’s side secured García the place among the 29 players Luis de la Fuente initially included in the EURO 2024 squad. Unfortunately for Aleix, Spain manager had to cross out three names before the beginning of the tournament and he was among those three alongside Barcelona’s Pau Cubarsí and Atletico’s Marcos Llorente.
