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Ralf Rangnick recalls how he nearly brought Thomas Müller and Mats Hummels to Hoffenheim

By Rune Gjerulff   @runegjerulff

Apparently, Thomas Müller and Mats Hummels nearly joined Hoffenheim more than 10 years ago.
Ralf Rangnick.
Ralf Rangnick.Photo: Steffen Prößdorf, CC BY-SA 4.0
Ralf Rangnick claims he nearly signed Thomas Müller and Mats Hummels on loan from Bayern München back in 2008 when he was the coach of Hoffenheim.


The 61-year-old, who is the head of sport and development at Red Bull GmbH today, told Sport1:

"In 2008, we reached an agreement with Thomas and his agent, Ludwig Kögl, and did everything we could to take him on loan. We could even have signed him for €3 million. But [Bayern München's reserve team coach at the time] Hermann Gerland vetoed it, and Müller stayed at Bayern. We were also in advanced talks with Holger Badstuber back then.

"The situation with Mats Hummels was quite similar in early 2008. We wanted to take him on loan as well, and there was an agreement. But [Bayern München's then president] Uli Hoeness put his foot down. He didn't want Hummels to be loaned out to Hoffenheim, but to Dortmund."

Hummels joined Dortmund on loan in 2008 before completing a permanent move to Signal Iduna Park. He returned to Munich in 2016, but headed back to Dortmund last summer.


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