Leverkusen land Novell as Bayern miss out on Gordon in busy Bundesliga window

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Bayer Leverkusen have ended a long, fraught coaching search by appointing Carles Martínez Novell as Kasper Hjulmand's successor. The 42-year-old, who arrives on a free from Toulouse after three years in Ligue 1, has signed until 2028 and is due to be presented on Friday; sporting director Simon Rolfes praised his record of developing young players. The pick lands as a surprise after higher-profile targets, including Andoni Iraola and Filipe Luís, opted for jobs elsewhere.

Champions Bayern Munich, meanwhile, have lost the race for Anthony Gordon, who is set to join Barcelona from Newcastle. According to Sport1, Newcastle accepted an offer worth around €70m plus €10m in bonuses, a fee Bayern were unwilling to match having valued the England forward closer to €60m. The move is reported to be agreed, with Gordon due for a medical.

Transfer and squad notes

After missing on Gordon, Bayern have switched their attention to Bournemouth's Eli Junior Kroupi, according to kicker. The 19-year-old France Under-21 striker, who scored 13 Premier League goals last season, is rated highly but would be costly — Bournemouth are reported to be seeking well in excess of €100m, with Manchester City among rival suitors. The interest is unconfirmed by the clubs.

Borussia Mönchengladbach have struck a deal for Darmstadt striker Isac Lidberg, with kicker reporting a fee of €3.5m plus bonuses and a contract to 2030 for the 27-year-old Sweden international, who scored 17 second-division goals last term. Leverkusen, for their part, are set to lose centre-back Piero Hincapié to Arsenal, with the Premier League side moving to trigger a permanent deal worth around £45m after his loan.

What it means for the league

The summer is reshaping the top of the table before a ball is kicked. Leverkusen's drawn-out hunt ended only after Europe's bigger vacancies stripped their shortlist, leaving them to gamble on a relatively unheralded name, while Eintracht Frankfurt have already turned to a familiar face in Adi Hütter.

For Bayern, being outbid by Barcelona for Gordon and facing a nine-figure asking price for Kroupi points to a recruitment market in which even the German champions are not setting the terms. With the new season starting on 28 August and clubs already losing talent abroad, the coming weeks will test how aggressively the Bundesliga's leaders can rebuild.