According to ESPN STAR Sports commentator John Dykes, you will never find him saying the English Premier League is the best league in the world in terms of football skills "but how to argue with the fact that even the Bundesligais now being stripped of its assets by Premiership clubs ... What started as a drip (Jens Lehmann anyone?) has now turned into a flood of top Bundesliga stars turning their back on inferior wages and exposure" compared with the EPL?
Last season, Michael Ballack was Germany’s most high-profile defector, with Thomas Rosicky (Borussia Dortmund) and Dimitar Berbatov (Bayer Leverkusen) continuing the trend. This summer has seen Owen Hargreaves (Bayern Munich), Santa Cruz (Bayern), Andriy Voronin (Bayer Leverkusen), Claudio Pizarro (Bayern) Steven Pienaar (Dortmund) and Kevin-Prince Boateng (Hertha Berlin) make the move.
“The young lads in Germany now are different to those of 10 years ago," said Boateng's agent, Karel van Burik. "They know everything about English football. Kevin thinks that if he can play in England he can show everyone in Europe that he is the best. The Premiership offers that stage. The players are also drawn by the passion of the crowds and the super mentality of English football."
Last season, Michael Ballack was Germany’s most high-profile defector, with Thomas Rosicky (Borussia Dortmund) and Dimitar Berbatov (Bayer Leverkusen) continuing the trend. This summer has seen Owen Hargreaves (Bayern Munich), Santa Cruz (Bayern), Andriy Voronin (Bayer Leverkusen), Claudio Pizarro (Bayern) Steven Pienaar (Dortmund) and Kevin-Prince Boateng (Hertha Berlin) make the move.
“The young lads in Germany now are different to those of 10 years ago," said Boateng's agent, Karel van Burik. "They know everything about English football. Kevin thinks that if he can play in England he can show everyone in Europe that he is the best. The Premiership offers that stage. The players are also drawn by the passion of the crowds and the super mentality of English football."