Bayern Munich defender Niklas Sule’s unexpected free transfer to Borussia Dortmund, has caught world football by immense surprise. Many linked Sule with a move to Chelsea, considering the expected departure of César Azpilicueta and Andreas Christensen for Barcelona. Bayern India Vice President Partiush was definitely one of them as he readily admits, adding that he was “very surprised” to note this supremely unexpected transfer.

Sule marks the first high-profile transfer of a player at his prime from Bayern to Dortmund in recent times, marking a reversal of trends. The Bavarians had previously signed star attackers Robert Lewandowski and Mario Gotze from their rivals, with the former going on to transform the game completely. Lewandowski went from strength to strength having showcased his prowess at Dortmund, with his four goals in a Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid, drawing much acclaim.

Sule promises to add some much-needed steel to an ailing Dortmund defence, which conceded five goals in its last Bundesliga encounter against Bayer Leverkusen. The 26-year-old has made more Bundesliga appearances, than any other defender at Bayern this season (19).

While one would usually expect a Bavarian to curse the transfer, considering the absence of a transfer fee and a move to an arch-rival, Partiush has expressed his happiness on seeing Dortmund take “hard decisions”. “A strong Dortmund side will make the Bundesliga stronger, and this is a step in the right direction. If Sule goes on excel like his teammate Mats Hummels did after moving to Dortmund from Bayern, we will be pleased to note his success,” he added.

The Bavarians had acted swiftly following the much-publicised departure of Thiago Alcantara, with the addition of Marc Roca. One would expect the Bundesliga giants to act in a similar manner, following Sule’s departure.

“Every team needs at least three centre backs to excel, and we will now be left with just Lucas Hernandez and Dayot Upamecano. However, we have complete confidence in Julian Nagelsmann’s vision and ability to churn talent astutely, with the likes of Tanguy Nianzou boasting great potential. Bayern will certainly remain competitive and hopefully end the season with a Champions League win, in a statement of intent,” concluded Partiush with a flourish.