2024-09-05 12:41:01
Mats Hummels will now play for Roma. The 2014 World Champion waited a long time before deciding on a club.
More than three months have passed since June 1st. The Champions League final between Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid was the last game in which Mats Hummels was on the pitch. Since then, the world champion has taken a break of several months, as his contract with BVB had expired anyway.
Yesterday, Wednesday, he signed his one-year contract with Roma. “It’s a big transfer for me. I’m happy to play for this club and these fans in the stadium,” Hummels explained in an interview on the club’s own YouTube channel.
There were good reasons why he waited until the beginning of September to make a decision. “I wanted to make a good choice. I didn’t want to be in the situation where I sit down a few weeks or months later and think that maybe I should have waited a little longer,” Hummels revealed.
The aforementioned BVB final in the Champions League against Real Madrid also played a role, explained the central defender: “After last season, I honestly needed time. After leaving Dortmund after such a long time, I needed a while to recover after the Champions League final.”
Hummels will probably have to wait a while for his first game. He said he would need two or three weeks to reach match fitness. “I’m in good shape, I did a lot of sport in the summer. But of course it’s different to professional training with a team.”
The international break suits Hummels well, as Roma’s next game is in Genoa in ten days. However, it may take a little longer before the 35-year-old can play on the pitch.