Özcan injured: Cologne's hopes of returning are fading!

Özcan injured: Cologne's hopes of returning are fading!

The rumor mill surrounding Salih Özcan is bubbling, especially with regard to 1. FC Köln. The Borussia Dortmund midfielder injured his knee during training and therefore missed the Turkish national team's friendly against Mexico on June 11th. As absolutfussball.com reports, the severity of the injury has not yet been determined, but it could lead to Özcan also being out for the upcoming one Club World Cup between June 15th and July 13th is canceled. This circumstance makes the player's future in the Bundesliga seem even more exciting.

1. FC Köln is interested in Özcan's return, but he is looking for a new challenge as he hardly gets any playing time at Dortmund. Rumors that Özcan might move to Istanbul are becoming louder and louder. Besiktas and Galatasaray also appear to be interested in the midfielder, with him signaling that he is keen to move to Turkey, as come-on-fc.com reports.

FC Cologne's financial hurdles

However, Özcan's return to his old club could fail due to financial hurdles. His annual salary at Dortmund is between 4 and 5 million euros, which represents a big challenge for FC Cologne. Dortmund is also seeking a sale to get the player off the payroll as he only has one year left on his contract. FC Cologne's sporting director, Thomas Kessler, described Özcan as an "interesting player", but made it clear that this did not necessarily lead to an application for him. If the salaries of the Turkish clubs turn out to be more attractive, things could get really tight for the billy goats.

Another aspect that complicates the situation for Cologne is Eric Martel. The midfielder must first decide on a contract extension for the U21 European Championships before FC Cologne can make a concrete offer for Özcan. This creates a certain time problem, as the rumors about Özcan and his possible destination become more and more urgent.

Injury rates in football

Injuries are never welcome in football, but they are very much the trend this season. According to football injuries.com, muscle injuries and knee problems are the most common reasons for failure in the Bundesliga. The analysis shows that adequate training methods and injury prevention in particular could be crucial in keeping players as fit as possible. These trends can be important for clubs like Cologne and Dortmund if they want to keep or sign players like Özcan in their ranks.

It remains to be seen whether and how the situation will develop for Özcan and 1. FC Köln. However, the information so far suggests that both financial and sporting considerations will play a crucial role. Fans will be interested to see how the situation develops in the coming weeks as the Bundesliga comes back into focus.