Fortuna Cologne brings in talent: Strauch and Najar reinforcements for the midfield!

Fortuna Cologne brings in talent: Strauch and Najar reinforcements for the midfield!

Fortuna Cologne provides a breath of fresh air! In the midst of an exciting transfer period, the club has undertaken personnel restructuring. Winger Arnold Budimbu is leaving the club and moving to 1. FC Bocholt. On the other hand, Fortuna has secured the services of Georg Strauch, who previously played in the U21 team of 1. FC Köln. The 24-year-old from Bonn, who came through all of FC's youth teams, will now be an important part of coach Mink's team.

Strauch's signing comes at just the right time for Fortuna. After he was most recently vice-captain of the second representative team at 1. FC Köln, Strauch not only brings experience but also the necessary potential. Despite a serious setback in the form of a torn cruciate ligament during his time in the professional squad under Steffen Baumgart, Strauch demonstrated his skills in 119 regional league games. He expressed optimism about the talks with Fortuna and sees the new challenge as a great opportunity.

News from the squad and injured players

While Strauch is looking forward to the challenges in the regional league, Adrian Stanilewicz's future remains uncertain. The player, who was injured in March, is currently training with the team, but his return is still questionable. In the meantime, another aspect comes into play: test player Suheyel Najar, who already played a key role at Fortuna between 2020 and 2022, is currently being put through his paces. After his serious cruciate ligament injury, he fought back and, after recovering, scored a goal against Bergisch Gladbach.

Talks about a possible signing of Najar seem promising. The head of football at Fortuna, Stefan Puczynski, illustrates the winger's potential and highlights his pace and courage in 1-on-1 situations. The 25-year-old has been playing for Fortuna for a year and is on the mend after an injury-plagued season.

Prospects for the coming season

Fortuna Cologne is currently in third place in the Regionalliga West, but is already 14 points behind league leaders Borussia Dortmund II. The club has applied for a third division license and would like to build on the success of the last games in the second half of the season. There is great hope for clear victories, especially since the team was already able to impress against Bergisch Gladbach and SV Straelen in the last second half of the season.

A blitz tournament against Vordereifel Müllenbach and Eintracht Trier is on the program on Thursday. Both Strauch and Najar are expected to be part of the squad and will have the opportunity to showcase their skills as the team prepares for an exciting pre-season. Further information on the latest transfers and developments in the regional league can be found on the website Kicker to find.

The next few weeks will be crucial for Fortuna Cologne. The fans can look forward to seeing how the team develops and what decisions will be made regarding the squad. Kölnische Rundschau regularly reports on the latest developments of the club and team development.

Stay tuned for more updates on Fortuna Cologne and their pursuit of success in the Regionalliga West!