Cologne's football drama: Kwasniok as coach - Finkgräfe before the change!

Cologne's football drama: Kwasniok as coach - Finkgräfe before the change!

1. FC Köln has big plans for the coming Bundesliga season – and the course is already being set diligently. A new coach was found in 43-year-old Lukas Kwasniok, but before the new coach can really get started, the club urgently needs fresh money. The Cologne team are said to be facing a financial challenge as they have already invested almost 10 million euros in new signings. Ragnar Ache and Isak Johannesson changed clubs for around 9.5 million euros and now we should also take a look at the transfer fees for players like Max Finkgräfe in order to finance additional players and cover the coaching transfer fees Picture reported.

Despite the originally set budget of 12 to 14 million euros, transfer expenses are within a tight framework. The club plans to add five to six new additions to the squad in the coming weeks. Max Finkgräfe, who is currently 1. FC Köln's most valuable professional, could play a key role. The 21-year-old, who primarily plays as a left-back, only got 138 minutes of playing time last season due to injuries, so he didn't exactly end on a high note. A sale of Finkgräfe could bring between four and five million euros into the club's coffers, which is important for the Cologne team as they would like to further advance their transfer activities in the next few weeks.

Clear interest in Finkgräfe

In the last few weeks there has been a noticeable interest in Max Finkgräfe, particularly from clubs such as VfB Stuttgart, Eintracht Frankfurt and Hoffenheim. How transfermarkt.de According to reports, he has a contract until 2026 and has a current market value of around 6 million euros. A change could not only be beneficial for Cologne, but also for the player himself, as it would give him the chance to play more minutes - something he has sorely missed this season.

From a sporting perspective, it should be noted that Finkgräfe recently lost his regular place to Leart Pacarada and was only on the pitch in 14 appearances. He also sat on the bench seven times, which isn't exactly good for a player of his age and talent. A contract extension in Cologne also seems unlikely - the current situation invites speculation.

Further departures are to be expected

But Finkgräfe is not the only player who could leave FC. Rumors are also circulating about the possible departures of Tim Lemperle, whose contract is expiring, and Jonas Urbig. Lemperle is linked to Hoffenheim, while Urbig is being discussed in the media as number two behind Marvin Schwäbe. The people of Cologne are once again dreaming of a strong second half of the season, and in order to realize this, the plans must now be concretized quickly.

It remains exciting to see how the situation at Geißbockheim will develop and whether 1. FC Köln will ultimately be able to take all the necessary steps. The upcoming transfer actions could make the crucial difference.