Adler switches to Hamburg from Leverkusen

Former German international goalkeeper Rene Adler signed for Hamburg from Bundesliga rivals Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday on a free transfer.

The 27-year-old was out of contract at Leverkusen and had fallen down the pecking order after a knee operation last July had been followed by the astonishing success of 19-year-old Bernd Leno.

The young goalkeeper came from Stuttgart to fill in while Adler was recovering from the operation but in the end he was rewarded with a five year contract at the end of the season.

It left Adler - capped 10 times - with little option but to leave for another club.
"When one is offered a 27-year-old international goalkeeper for free, you have to seize the opportunity," said Hamburg's sporting director Frank Arnesen.
"He is determined. During his time out he went through eight months of physio to get back to shape."
Hamburg, who finished a dire 15th in the Bundesliga, also announced the 3.5million euro signing of Latvian striker Artjoms Rudnevs from Polish outfit Lech Poznan on a four year contract.

Rudnevs, 24 and capped 16 times, scored 22 times in 29 matches for Poznan this season.