By Ewah Chika.
Wolfsburg shocked many fans of the German Bundesliga on Monday when it announced the signing of Polish and former Borussia Dortmund's attacking midfielder Jakub Blaszczykowski for a fee of €5 million . The 30-year-old is likely to replace German international Andre Schurlle who moved the other way to Dortmund a fortnight ago.
"Jakub Blaszczykowski is a player that can do any team good- not just due to his footballing qualities, but also because he is a prime example of determination, willingness and passion, who always identified with his clubs to 100 per cent," was the statement by Klaus Allofs who is the Sporting Director of Wolfsburg.
Kuba as he is fondly called has won two German Bundesliga titles with Dortmund before he was moved on to Fiorentina on loan after coach Thomas Tuchel deemed him surplus to requirements at the club last season. The attacking midfielder's favourite position is the right midfield in a 4-4-2 formation or in the forward right position in a 4-3-3 formation. Kuba's time in Dortmund was
complicated after the departure of Jurgen Klopp and the appointment of Thomas Tuchel as his replacement last summer. The former Mainz manager's system and style does not suit Kuba as the manager demands that his wingers move inside to provide goal threat and half spaces while the job of crossing and width is given to the full backs. At Dortmund, Tuchel preferred the duo of Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Marco Reus to start on the wings with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang playing further high up the pitch in a 4-2-3-1 formation.
Kuba was the longest serving Dortmund player since the retirement of Sebastian Kehl at the end of the 2014/2015 season. The attacking midfielder joined Dortmund in 2007 from Wisla Krakow playing 197 league games and scoring 27 goals during his time at the club, making no appearance under Tuchel. The Polish international also won the the DFB-Pokal with Dortmund in 2012 after providing two assists in the 5-2 demolition of Bayern Munich in the final. That season was his best as he was also named in the UEFA's 32-man Shortlist for the Best Player in Europe award. Kuba formed a formidable attacking unit with the likes of Marco Reus, Mario Gotze and Robert Lewandowski as the players led Dortmund to the Champions League final in 2013 where they lost to Bayern Munich 2-1 on the night.
Kuba's career and form began to decline after he suffered a career threatening injury (cruciate ligament damage ) in January 2014 against Ausburg keeping him out of action for nine months. Kuba's story did not change in Italy as he only played three Seria A games from January to May after moving to Fiorentina for €1 million, often struggling with form and fitness. Even though the midfielder appears to have lost a lot of pace, it is still too early to write him off. The midfielder's experience will also come In handy at Wolfsburg as Dieter Hecking has struggled to replicate the success of the 2014/2015 season which saw Wolfsburg win the DFB-Pokal and also finish runner-up to Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga although part of the reason was the sale of star man Kelvin De Bruyne to Manchester City for £50 million last summer. After the sale of the Belgian, Wolfsburg struggled to score goals last season and failed to qualify for any European competition although they reached the quarter-final of the Champions League before exiting the tournament after Real Madrid beat them. This summer , it appears Wolfsburg are gradually rebuilding their squad after the sale of Brazilian centre-back Naldo to Schalke 04 and Schurlle to Dortmund as Kuba joins Wolfsburg's new signings Yannick Gerhardt, Jeffrey Bruma, Josip Brekalo and Borja Mayorai.
In a transfer market that has become so inflated that transfer records no longer mean anything, Wolfsburg would not only do well to relish the signing of the Polish international who was the star of the Polish national team in the just concluded Euro's scoring twice as Adam Nawalka's side reached the quarter-final but also consider his signing a bargain. Kuba has scored an impressive 18 goals in the national team in 83 games coupled with his four goals in the qualifiers which was the highest for any player In the Polish national team.
At Wolfsburg, Kuba has a point to prove and this is nothing new to him after watching his mother being stabbed to death by his father aged 11 in September 1996. Kuba would later grow up with his grandmother and nearly quit football if not for the counsel and guidance of his uncle Jerzy Brzeczek who was once the captain of the Polish national team.
For now, it is still too early to write off one of Polish national team's greatest player as he proves that "form is temporarily but class permanent at Wolfsburg".
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