Hanover

Hanover has been described -- accurately -- as the most non-descript club in the league. But last year saw a slight improvement in both their results and their style of play on the field. As always they're trying to jump up to the next level. This time, they might actually succeed.

That's thanks to some clever acquisitions. Striker Jan Schlaudraff may not have been good enough for Bayern's starting 11, but he's had a shot at most other Bundesliga teams' first line-ups. Mikael Forssell proved he could net goals for Moenchengladbach a few moons back, and Mario Eggimann is not just a solid defender -- he scored a few last year, too.

"With our transfers, it should be possible to close the gap on the top six," said commercial manager Christian Hochstaetter.

Hanover representing Germany in an international competition is a thought that would make many Bundesliga fans cringe, but in 2008-09, the club could earn a chance to do precisely that.

Major arrivals: Jan Schlaudraff, Mario Eggimann, Mikael Forssell

Major departures: Gunnar Heidar Thorvaldsson Vahid Hashemian, Benjamin Lauth, Thomas Brdaric