VfL Wolfsburg Wiretap

Joachim Low discussed the Bundesliga's quality since the league's return behind closed doors.

"You also have to get used to a bit of football without the excitement that the fans provide. On the other hand, I am positively surprised by the high level of motivation from the players and teams, the attitude and also the way of playing," said Low.

Low added that he believes that the Bundesliga is the top league in Europe.

"You can tell that the players want to compete again, to battle, to score goals, to avoid [conceding] goals.

"This has also had a positive effect for me, that the players came out of such a long break so motivated and look as if they are playing in a stadium with 80,000 spectators," added Low.

The Bundesliga will likely finish this current season without supporters in the stadium, according to CEO Christian Seifert.

"Professional football can only function when we play," said Seifert. "When the time comes, we will be ready and prepared and we are looking forward to it.

"If we can play games, it is to be expected that they will be without fans for some time. Maybe even into the new season or until the end of the year."

Seifert added that the league will not return until April 30th at the earliest.

The CEO also said that the plan is to finish the season by June 30th, taking players to the end of their current contract. 

The existence of the Bundesliga is at stake due to the league's suspension, said chief executive Christian Seifert.

The top two German leagues are canceled through April 2nd.

Over 56,000 people work in the German football industry.

"Tens of thousands of jobs are at stake. We've reached a point where Bundesliga has to admit: 'Yes, we are manufacturing a product and if we no longer manufacture it then we cease to exist.' It's not only about the stars. More is at stake than just a few matches," said Seifert.

The executive also asked clubs to analyze worse case scenarios of the league being shutdown through March in order to "assess who can survive for how long."

Seifert added that there is no timetable for when matches will resume.

"Nobody knows when games can take place again."

The German Football League postponed this weekend's round of matches in the Bundesliga and second division as a response to the coronavirus.

A meeting will be held on Monday to discuss whether to postpone the league into April.

Fabian Nürnberger of Nurnberg in Germany's second division tested positive for the virus, leading to a team quarantine. 

18-year-old Ulysses Llanez is the latest American to move to Germany after announcing a transfer to Wolfsburg.

Llanez was developed in the LA Galaxy academy and played 10 matches for the Galaxy II last season. 

Kevin De Bruyne has no regrets over leaving Chelsea in 2014 for Wolfsburg.

De Bruyne returned to England with Manchester City as a much improved player.

“But I’ve no regrets over anything that happened,” the playmaker said. “I don’t think they have regrets: they’ve won two league titles since I’ve been gone, so they’ve done fairly well. That’s the way it goes, it’s a business. At that point it was a good decision for me to go and maybe for them it was also good to let me go. There’s no bad feeling at all. It’s just part of life and you need to grow up.”

Ricardo Rodriguez has been sold by Wolfsburg to AC Milan for €17 million ($19 million).

The 24-year-old fullback is Milan's third new signing this summer.

Capped 45 times by Switzerland, Rodriguez played 24 times in the Bundesliga last season, taking him to a total of 149 outings in Germany's top flight.

Rodriguez thanked his former club for an "unforgettable" five seasons.

"We experienced and achieved a lot together," he told Wolfsburg's official website. "I have developed as a player and as a person, always feeling very comfortable and having won a lot of friends.

"However, now is the time for me to take the next step in my career. Milan are a top international club and a big new challenge for me."

John Brooks is set to leave Hertha Berlin and join Wolfsburg for at least €17 million ($18.9 million).

The transfer fee is the highest ever paid for a player from the United States.

Brooks came through the ranks at Hertha and has made 90 Bundesliga appearances for the club.

The previous record was €10 million when Jozy Altidore when from AZ Alkmaar to Sunderland.

Wolfsburg have confirmed that Arsenal’s academy manager, Andries Jonker, will take over as their new coach.

Jonker previously served as an assistant at Wolfsburg and also worked until Louis van Gaal at Barcelona, Bayern and Holland.

At a press conference, Jonker revealed that former Arsenal and Sweden midfielder Freddie Ljungberg, who worked with him at the Gunners academy, would be joining him as an assistant coach.

Jonker said: “I have remained in contact with Wolfsburg over the years, but the enquiry did come as a bit of a surprise. There are only a few clubs with the possibilities available to them that VfL have. This is a huge challenge.

“I know a lot of the players and during this week I will be looking to prepare the team for the game against Mainz. All the players start from scratch. They all have the opportunity to prove themselves. It’s not about which system I prefer. All that counts is getting the 40 points as quickly as possible.”

“Andries Jonker knows VFL Wolfsburg and kept regular contact with the club even after his move to London,” added Wolfsburg’s sporting director, Olaf Rebbe, in a statement. “Both factors were decisive for the fact that we were able to find this solution in such a short time. He is an internationally experienced coach and a proven tactician who has the best conditions to quickly and sustainably bring VFL back into the track.”

Julian Draxler will move from Wolfsburg to Paris Saint-Germain on a deal worth up to €47 million ($49 million).

Draxler joined Wolfsburg from their Bundesliga rivals Schalke in August 2015 to replace Kevin De Bruyne, but he never really settled at the Volkswagen-backed club.

“Of course I’m sad to see Julian go because he’s an outstanding footballer,” the Wolfsburg head coach, Valérien Ismaël, told his club’s website.

“He gave everything in the recent matches against Frankfurt and Gladbach and once again showed how much this club meant to him. I hope his move to France provides him with a fresh challenge.”