AS Roma have made a significant signing by securing the services of former Borussia Dortmund defender Mats Hummels on a free transfer. The Serie A club officially announced the completion of the deal on Wednesday. Hummels, aged 35, departed Dortmund after the expiration of his contract this summer, having spent an impressive 13 seasons with the Bundesliga outfit. During his time at Dortmund, he made a total of 508 appearances across two separate stints.
Although the specific financial terms of the transfer were not disclosed by the club, reports from Italian media suggest that Hummels has inked a season-long contract for a reported fee of €2.5 million ($2.8 million). Hummels initially rose to prominence at Dortmund, where he played a pivotal role in securing Bundesliga titles for the team in 2010 and 2011. Subsequently, he made a move to Bayern Munich in 2016, returning to the club's academy where he had initially developed.
After a successful three-year spell at Bayern Munich, Hummels rejoined Dortmund in 2019. His final season with the club was particularly noteworthy, as he played a crucial part in Dortmund's journey to the Champions League final, where they faced Real Madrid at Wembley.
With 78 international caps for Germany to his name, Hummels was a key member of the squad that clinched the 2014 World Cup. However, he was not included in the national team for the recent European Championship held this summer.
Following Hummels' arrival, AS Roma bid farewell to defender Chris Smalling, who made a move to Saudi Pro League club Al Fayha earlier in the week. Roma's start to the new Serie A season has been less than ideal, having managed to secure just two points from their first three games.
