Author's Note
This post marks the start of Season 2018/19.
The Trio of Villans
The German transfer window has kicked off and Bayern manager
David Beckham has acted fast by confirming three signings - all his former players at Aston Villa.
But here's the catch - not all of them come as players!
Ron Vlaar, who has just retired at the age of 33 on the back of a 2017/18 season where he was frequently on the bench, has been appointed as the new manager of Bayern Munich's Under-19s side.
The former Holland international has expressed his delight at the opportunity and his excitement of working with former boss Beckham again. The 43-year-old was the man who handed Vlaar the vice-captaincy in the summer of 2012 when the Dutchman had just joined the Villans - but was also the man who stripped him of it in 2017 in favor of Fabian Delph to step up to the role.
Two Aston Villa players will join Vlaar at the Allianz Arena with
Will Hughes and
Mattheus signing Bayern contracts for a combined fee of 24 million.
Hughes, 23, has been an Aston Villa player for 5 years having been brought to Villa Park by Beckham from Derby in 2013. The England midfielder was one of the key players of the Beckham reign as he starred on the right wing for Aston Villa, these performances eventually culminating into a call up to the England team.
His teammate Mattheus joins him at Bayern after 6 years of service at Villa Park. The Brazilian was one of Beckham's first signings. Also 23, Mattheus, unlike Hughes, struggled to break into the first team but looked like he'd eventually done just that after a stellar 2016-17 season. Unfortunately, he was just not favored by new boss
Malky Mackay, who cast him aside after he replaced Beckham in November 2017.
The signings of Hughes and Mattheus have prompted rumors that there will be some big sales this summer from Die Bayern.