Latest news with #Köln
Yahoo
23-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Said El Mala signs new contract amid Premier League interest
The news comes just a day after Express reported that Premier League side Brighton were preparing a move for Said El Mala. Köln wasted no time shutting down those rumours, confirming the contract extension this morning. It became clear early on that Die Geißböcke weren't interested in selling at this moment, the club's hierarchy see him as a player ready to make a significant impact in the immediate future - believing they have a real talent on their hands. Speaking with Express in June, Managing Director for Effzeh Christian Keller stated: 'I'm pretty sure he'll be the most expensive departure in FC history. He's an exceptional player we signed when hardly anyone had seen him." Köln's current record sale remains Anthony Modeste's €29 million move to Tianjin Tianhai in 2018. With this new deal, it's clear Keller believes El Mala is destined to surpass that fee in the future. Said El Mala spent last season on loan at Viktoria Köln in the registering 13 goals and 3 assists. The 18-year-old continued to impress in the European Under-19 Championship in June, scoring 4 goals as Germany reached the semi-finals.
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Said El Mala signs new contract amid Premier League interest
The news comes just a day after Express reported that Premier League side Brighton were preparing a move for Said El Mala. Köln wasted no time shutting down those rumours, confirming the contract extension this morning. It became clear early on that Die Geißböcke weren't interested in selling at this moment, the club's hierarchy see him as a player ready to make a significant impact in the immediate future - believing they have a real talent on their hands. Speaking with Express in June, Managing Director for Effzeh Christian Keller stated: 'I'm pretty sure he'll be the most expensive departure in FC history. He's an exceptional player we signed when hardly anyone had seen him." Köln's current record sale remains Anthony Modeste's €29 million move to Tianjin Tianhai in 2018. With this new deal, it's clear Keller believes El Mala is destined to surpass that fee in the future. Said El Mala spent last season on loan at Viktoria Köln in the registering 13 goals and 3 assists. The 18-year-old continued to impress in the European Under-19 Championship in June, scoring 4 goals as Germany reached the semi-finals.
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ron-Robert Zieler returns home to FC Köln
Veteran German keeper Ron-Robert Zieler's much discussed return to FC Köln was officially confirmed on Monday evening. The 36-year-old returns to his hometown club, at which he spent six years training with the youth ranks before moving to the Manchester United academy in 2005, on a €200,000 transfer. Zieler actually spent one year on loan in the cathedral city during the 2020/21 Bundesliga campaign, at that time backing up Timo Horn. He made one league relief appearance that year. Zieler's latest return to the Domstädter once again comes under interesting circumstances. Hannover 96 loaned Zieler out to Köln five years ago after a dust-up with then H96 head coach Kenan Koçak and controversial club chairmen Martin Kind led to him losing his starting position. Zieler was Hannover's regular number one during the 2019/20 season, then regained his starting status with the Lower Saxons the year after returning from the atypical loan spell. Advertisement Zieler again joins Köln expected to be the back-up keeper behind number one Marvin Schwäbe. In this case, Zieler forfeited a chance to be a regular 2. Bundesliga starter in order to warm the bench. Zieler started all 34 of Hannover's German second division league fixtures last season and even managed to keep 11 clean sheets. Unless Schwäbe gets hurt or reconsiders an offer to join America's MLS, Zieler won't be working between the sticks. Zieler offered up some explanation of his choice in a Köln-released statement. As is often the case with keepers of a certain age, the promise of integration into the coaching ranks naturally played a role. Veteran Borussia Mönchengladbach keeper Tobias Sippel (37) recently received specific assurances from his Bundesliga club. Zieler spoke more in generalities. 'Until [Köln sporting director] Thomas Kessler called me, I hadn't actually thought about a move,' Zieler said. 'I had open discussions with both sides. From the outset, I felt that the club [Köln] held me in very high regard and offered me clear prospects for the time after my active career, That was extremely important to me. It was such that I decided for my hometown club.' GGFN | Peter Weis
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
🚨 Homecoming: Köln sign German World Cup winner
Lukas Podolski and Ron-Robert Zieler not only won the 2014 World Cup together. Both were also trained at 1. FC Köln and are deeply rooted in the city. One of the two lost sons is now returning to the club. Zieler, most recently a long-time goalkeeper for Hannover 96, will be playing in the cathedral city again in the future. Advertisement Between 1999 and 2005, the keeper was trained by the Billy Goats. In the 2020/21 season, he already returned to his hometown on loan. Today, the 36-year-old signed a two-year contract with the FC and is expected to compete with Marvin Schwäbe for the starting position in goal. This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here. 📸 Christof Koepsel - 2014 Getty Images
Yahoo
29-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
RB Leipzig in negotiations with Köln over Max Finkgräfe purchase
Philipp Hinze reports that RB Leipzig are targeting FC Köln's Max Finkgräfe. The 21-year-old counts as an excellent candidate to help the German Red Bulls at the left back position. It is such that, Hinze reports, the two Bundesliga clubs are in close contact and discussing a transfer sum. For much of this summer, Finkgräfe seemed destined to follow his Köln teammate Tim Lemperle in moving to Hoffenheim. Interest from die Kraichgauer has nevertheless now cooled. One potential reason for this concerns the fact that new TSG signing Bernardo can also feature at left back. Advertisement Both Bundesliga clubs still require quite a bit of help on the left-hand side. German international David Raum remains RB's only trained left back. Hoffenheim have only the disappointing Alexander Prass following the summer departures of Christopher Lenz and David Jurasek. Finkgräfe made only 14 2. Bundesliga appearances for die Geißböcke this season and is not thought to have a future in the cathedral city. The 22-year-old sits on an expiring contract and his current club would be happy to offload him. At present, Finkgräfe still maintains an estimated €4m market value. Hinze writes that Leipzig are currently negotiating a transfer fee in the low-to-mid single digit million range. At his peak whilst representing Köln in the top flight during the 2023/24 campaign, Finkgräfe was a €6m-valued player. The Mönchengladbach native does bring with him the experience of 24 Bundesliga appearances with one goal in the German top flight. GGFN | Peter Weis
