Bayern Munich have signed Japanese defender Hiroki Ito from German rivals VfB Stuttgart in a move aimed at bringing “new energy” that could kick off a wider overhaul of the Bayern squad.
Ito arrives on a four-year contract, Bayern said on Thursday. He is Bayern's first new signing since Vincent Kompany was hired as coach last month in place of Thomas Tuchel.
“We want hungry players who bring new energy and Hiroki has everything we want: he is a player who takes on challenges, overcomes them and moves on,” Bayern board member Max Eberl said in a statement.
The transfer fee was not made public, but German magazine Kicker reported that Bayern had met an initial release clause of 23 million euros ($25 million) plus possible additional fees.
Ito, 25, had been at Stuttgart since 2021 and was key to their surprise rise to second place in the Bundesliga this season. Stuttgart finished one place ahead of Bayern, who finished the campaign without a trophy for the first time since the 2011-12 season.
Ito adds depth to a Bayern defense that was frequently depleted by injuries last season and was often reliant on Eric Dier, who has since left when his loan from Tottenham Hotspur ended. Ito usually plays in the center of defense, but can also cover defensive midfield and left back roles.
Bayern will also sign 18-year-old Australian winger Nestory Irankunda in a deal that was agreed in November but will not take effect until next month. Spanish winger Bryan Zaragoza's transfer from Granada has become permanent after an initial loan spell at Bayern.
Bayer Leverkusen, the team that won the Bundesliga, also did business on Thursday by signing Aleix García from Girona, where he was key to his team's third place in LaLiga last season.
Garcia, 26, has signed a five-year contract with Leverkusen, where he will join Spanish coach Xabi Alonso.
“Aleix García is a player with extraordinary strategic ability, his passes are extremely precise and he plays with great vision from the center of the field,” said Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes.
