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Bayern Munich: Top five high profile transfers in winter market

By Kiran Thakare

MUNICH, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 03: The Logo of FC Bayern Muenchen is seen behind fall foliage at Saebener Strasse training ground on November 03, 2019 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Sebastian Widmann/Bongarts/Getty Images)
MUNICH, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 03: The Logo of FC Bayern Muenchen is seen behind fall foliage at Saebener Strasse training ground on November 03, 2019 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Sebastian Widmann/Bongarts/Getty Images) /
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BERLIN – FEBRUARY 14: Landon Donavan of FC Bayern Muenchen is seen during the Bundesliga match between Hertha BSC Berlin and FC Bayern Muenchen at the Olympic Stadium on February 14, 2009, in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Boris Streubel/Bundesliga Collection via Getty Images)
BERLIN – FEBRUARY 14: Landon Donavan of FC Bayern Muenchen is seen during the Bundesliga match between Hertha BSC Berlin and FC Bayern Muenchen at the Olympic Stadium on February 14, 2009, in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Boris Streubel/Bundesliga Collection via Getty Images) /

Landon Donovan

One of the most bizarre winter transfers at Bayern took place in 2009. The German club decided to sign Landon Donovan on loan from LA Galaxy. Donovan impressed in training earlier in the season.  Bayern decided to give him a go by completing a loan transfer in January.

The transfer eventually didn’t work for all parties. Donovan made only seven appearances across all competitions during the second half of the season. He failed to find the back of the net in any of these games. Die Roten decided to not make his transfer permanent.

Donovan went on to have a good career with LA Galaxy after leaving Bayern. He did have much better loan spells at other clubs in Europe whenever there was a break in MLS. The versatile forward is considered as the USA’s best footballer as he went on to make 157 appearances for the national team.

It is a shame that it didn’t work out for Donovan at Bayern. A talented and versatile forward should have achieved much more in Bavaria rather than just making only a handful of appearances. It can also be assumed that the loan spell was a very short period for him to showcase his talent in Bayern colours.

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