The defeat constituted the first loss for the German U21s in a qualifying match in nearly four years. Way back at the beginning of Di Salvo’s tenure, the U21s fell 0-4 to Poland at the WirMachenDruck Arena in Aspach on November 11th, 2021. Since then, despite a disappointing 2023 Euros and some defeats in friendlies, Di Salvo’s youngsters went 16 qualifying fixtures without a defeat.

The search for answers was on following the Friday loss. The fact that Di Salvo’s selection remains injury-ridden certainly didn’t help. In addition to the four players who have officially departed DFB camp, Southampton centre-back Joshua Quarshie (a regular starter) was unable to play on Friday. Two players Di Salvo called up late – Eintracht Frankfurt’s Elias Baum and Dynamo Dresden’s Julian Pauli – have also had to leave camp injured. 

Bayern Munich midfielder Tom Bischof – another eagerly anticipated U21 debutant – was given the captain’s armband and did register an assist on Tom Rothe’s 2-2 equalizer. The rising FCB midfield talent nevertheless lamented the team’s sloppy start when conducting his post-match interview with ProSieben MAXX. Di Salvo, too, referenced errors in his own interview. 

“We have to be present from the very first minute onward and have enough balls to play forward,” Bischof told the German broadcaster. “We were simply afraid to play the ball forward. The spaces were too big. We should have closed down the field more. If we had done that, it would have been a better game more like the victory we envisioned.”

“I warned them [the team] about the Greeks,” Di Salvo added. “We made too many simple mistakes. Then the mistakes pile up because your confidence drops. We cannot afford any more mistakes or slip ups.“

Seimen’s goalkeeping error was emblematic of the entire error-strewn first half that simply didn’t work. Poor marking off a free-kick in the 13th enabled Konstantinos Kostoulas to score the opening goal. Less than a minute later Seimen fumbled a back-pass in front of the onrushing Stefanos Tzimas. The former Nürnberg striker collected the ball and then proceeded to out-deke Seimen for the 14th-minute 0-2. 

The clearly rattled German hosts made several more embarrassing amateurish errors before the half was out. Seimen recovered a bit to make some quality saves, but was himself spared further blushes by some lucky bounces and tight offside decisions. Seimen and the rest of the DFB defensive ranks looked out-of-sorts on Dimitris Rallis’ match-winning 2-3 in the 81st minute.

The 19-year-old Seimen certainly didn’t look like someone capable of challenging Werder Bremen keeper Mio Backhaus’ hold on the Germany U21 No. 1 slot. The current SC Paderborn loanee also almost certainly didn’t look like the net-minder his parent club VfB Stuttgart have earmarked to replace No. 1 Alexander Nübel next season.

“Of course, I’m extremely aggravated about it,” Seimen said of his mistake in the mixed zone on Friday night. “But it’s happened now and I have to put it behind me. I just thought I could kick the ball away. I’m pretty disappointed, but life goes on.“

“He knows full well that he made a mistake and there’s no escaping that,” Di Salvo added at the post-match press conference. “Logically, he had to clear the ball [out into touch], but I’m annoyed at how it came to that back pass. We simply played back unnecessarily.

“Mistakes are part of football and it happens,” Di Salvo was then sure to emphasize. “I will talk to him and build him back up, just as Klaus Thomforde [the goalkeeping coach] will. It happened. We will put it behind us. It’s all the more reason to pull together and do better [against Northern Ireland] on Tuesday.“

GGFN | Peter Weis

Transfermarkt nevertheless does note that Paderborn have rejected multi-million-figure from clubs in Spain, England, Denmark. Croatia, and even Castañeda’s native USA during this time frame. The East Westphalians find themselves in little mood to sell more players this summer after parting company with Aaron Zehnter (Wolfsburg) and Ilyas Ansah (Union Berlin).

Castañeda himself may have little interest in joining either top flight club as the both the FCA midfield and the BMG midfield are clogged with competitors. Castañeda has made a combined 66 2. Bundesliga and 3. Liga appearances for Paderborn and Duisburg since moving to Germany in the summer of 2023. He remains under contract with his current club until 2027.

GGFN | Peter Weis

As reported earlier, Köln also remain on the hunt for a right-footed centre back. There nevertheless remains no new news to report on the status of Köln’s pursuit of Middlesbrough’s Rav van den Berg. The statement issued by Kölner personnel chief Thomas Kessler does seem to suggest that the Effzeh wish to see their plans for van den Berg followed through on.

“With Cenk, we are getting a left-footed player for our central defense as planned,” Kessler noted in a club statement. “He will increase competitiveness at his position. He brings footballing quality, strong tackling and athleticism to the table. He is also tactically clever. Last season didn’t go so well for him, but we’re convinced of his potential, ability, and mentality.”

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of Kölner training camp yesterday, head coach Lukas Kwasniok revealed that he himself remained interested in acquiring on of his former SC Paderborn 07 players. Versatile winger/fullback Raphael Obermair is definitely on Kwasniok’s wish list.

Kwasniok answered a reporter’s question about the former Bayern Munich academy man directly. Obermair is a journeyman who has spent his career playing for 2. Bundesliga and 3. Liga clubs. The German-Filipino has also briefly worked in the Austrian top flight. He’s not yet made a Bundesliga appearance.

“He [Obermair] is 29-years-old and it would be great if he were given the opportunity to show what he can do in the Bundesliga,” Kwasniok said. “In this case, it’s true that we’re very interested. Will see if it can be realized.“

GGFN | Peter Weis

Tigges has scored 12 top division goals in 70 Bundesliga appearances with Köln and Dortmund. The Osnabrück-native famously broke through to the BVB senior ranks in then Dortmund interim head coach Edin Terzic’s first Pokal fixture in December of 2020. Tigges would net three top flight goals under Marco Rose the following year. 

After Köln signed him for €1.5m in the summer of 2022, Tigges turned in the most successful season of his career during the 2022/23 campaign. Seven goals and three assists saw him raise his estimated market value up to a career high €3.5m. After a problematic 2023/24 cycle during which he was often left out of the matchday squad, Tigges at least scored goals in Köln’s last two matches in the first division. 

Tigges barely featured at all for the Effzeh in the second division last season, failing to get his name on the scoresheet in 18 appearances across all competitions. Among a cohort of three strikers Köln considered expendable, new head coach Lukas Kwasniok at least gave Tigges a trial on the left wing during the pre-season.

The signing of USMNT international Kristoffer Lund made plain the fact that Tigges’ audition at this position didn’t work out. Club sporting director Thomas Kessler made certain to credit Tigges for attempting to be a team player by giving the role a shot in his departing statement. 

“We spoke very openly with Steffen about his sporting prospects before the season,” Kessler noted in a club statement. “It was clear to everyone involved that his chances of regular playing time in the Bundesliga would be significantly reduced. Regardless of this, Tiggi worked exemplarily in pre-season and also fully committed himself in a role that was unfamiliar to him. Throughout his time at FC, he has always put the team first and his attitude has made him an important part of our team, both on and off the pitch. He deserves great respect and a big thank you for that.“

“I would like to thank 1. FC Köln for my time there,” Tigges himself added. “We had some great moments, but we also had to go through some difficult times. This period has shaped me. FC Köln is a special club for me and I wish them all the best for the future. I have now made a conscious decision to take this step and am looking forward to my new challenge at SC Paderborn.“

GGFN | Peter Weis

Lund’s signing pushes the Kölner squad up to 33 professionals; a number considered rather large for a Bundesliga club not contesting an international competition. Die Geißböcke seek to remedy this by offloading three strikers not deemed fit for the German top flight: Florian Dietz, Sargis Adamyan, and Steffen Tigges.

Kicker reports that Köln have found a taker for Tigges in German second division side SC Paderborn 07. The German magazine divulges little about the nature of the deal, but a sale can be assumed. Tigges enters the final year of his contract in the cathedral city. A loan is thus not an option. 

Köln organized a significant media roll-out for Lund; a player they had been targeting for quite some time. The seven-times-capped U.S. international himself expressed great enthusiasm at moving to the Bundesliga. Lund will compete with Leart Paqarada for the starting left-back role.

“Kristoffer has exactly the profile we want for the left-hand-side,” Köln sporting director Thomas Kessler noted in a club statement. “He combines defensive stability with an attacking drive and impresses with a mentality that meets our requirements for this position. Despite his young age, he already has valuable international experience. With his signing, we are specifically increasing quality and competition at the left-back position.“

“When I heard about the offer, I took a closer look at FC,” Lund himself added. “It’s a big club with a deep history and a great fan base. On top of that, I had very good talks with the people in charge. And Cologne plays in the Bundesliga, which is one of the best leagues in Europe. I feel ready for that and want to prove myself here.“

GGFN | Peter Weis

Incredible atmospheres and fan culture

Until 1. FC Köln and Hamburg were promoted at the end of last season, the 2. Bundesliga for several years boasted more former German champions than the top flight. Storied clubs steeped in tradition and backed by huge followings – not just across Germany but around the world – find themselves languishing below their standards of decades gone by. All this makes for some incredible atmospheres that must be seen to be believed. And when you factor in the cost of a matchday ticket and beer, not to mention the free transport to the game, then no country rivals Germany.

It’s impossible to predict

For much of last season, 10 clubs were firmly in the promotion race until the final weeks, with the eventual top nine clubs separated by just 10 points. Elversberg upset the apple cart by finishing third and making it to the relegation playoff, just one point behind HSV. The league is simply impossible to predict, anyone can beat anyone and remains fiercely tight throughout. With a host of sides missing out on Bundesliga promotion last season, and the additions of relegated VfL Bochum and Holstein Kiel, along with 3. Liga newcomers Dynamo Dresden and none other than DFB Pokal finalists Arminia Bielefeld, the upcoming campaign promises to be even more unpredictable than the last.

A league of sleeping giants and big names

FC Köln and HSV may have earned promotion back into the top flight – the latter after a seven-year absence – but there are still a number of sleeping giants in the 2. Bundesliga. 1. FC Nürnberg, a nine-time German champion, have found themselves languishing in the second division since 2019. 1. FC Kaiserslautern – who won the Bundesliga in 1998 – found themselves in the 3. Liga in 2022 but since returned and narrowly missed out on the promotion playoff. Schalke 04 and Hertha Berlin are two clubs steeped in history with exceptional fanbases, but find themselves stuck in the second division while Hannover will also be eager to return to the Bundesliga under Christian Titz. And when it comes to big names, there are few bigger than Miroslav Klose in German football, who coaches FC Nürnberg in what is his first professional coaching job.

GGFN | Harry Good 

Kicker and other German sources report that Paderborn have pocketed a base-transfer-fee of around €4.5m. Zehnter just completed a highly successful season in the German second division in which he scored three goals and contributed 12 assists for his now former Westphalian outfit. 

Whether or not Zehnter becomes a regular under new VfL head coach Paul Simonis remains to be seen. Much depends on whether Simonis opts to switch Danish left-back/winger over to the right. Maehle has proven himself on both sides. Zehnter can probably count on an audition at least. 

“Aaron is very versatile on the left side and impressively demonstrated enormous potential last season,” VfL sporting director Sebastian Schindzielorz noted in a club statement. “We are convinced that he can take the next step in his development with us and that his qualities will be a real boost for our game.“

“I am delighted to be joining VfL Wolfsburg,” the player himself added, “It is an honor for me to play for such a club in the Bundesliga. I am looking forward to this challenge with great anticipation and will give my best for the club.“

GGFN | Peter Weis

It is understood that the newly promoted Premier League side have agreed a €6 million fee for the 26-year-old, with a medical set to take place later today.

With one year remaining on Bornauw’s deal at the Volkswagen Arena, it will signal a more than €10 million loss for Wolfsburg, who lured the defender away from fellow Bundesliga outfit FC Köln in the summer of 2021 for a reported €17 million.

Nevertheless, with Die Wölfe looking to complete deals for Sheffield United’s Vinícius Souza, SC Paderborn’s Aaron Zehnter, and Norwich City’s Josh Sargent, any incoming finances will be appreciated.

As for Leeds, Bornauw will offer Daniel Frake’s side a wealth of experience, having represented Belgium at international level, as well as boasting over 140 Bundesliga appearances. 

The 26-year-old will also join his former teammate, Lukas Nmecha, at Elland Road, as Leeds look to complete their second Wolfsburg signing of the summer.

GGFN | Will Shopland

One of the German football’s most sough-after commodities this summer, Zehnter elicited plenty of interest from other clubs. Peter Christiansen and the Wolfsburg administrative team have apparently outpaced the competition. Die Wölfe have an open slot at left back due to the presumed departure of Brazilian Rogerio this summer. Zehnter can also play higher up in midfield or on the wing.

Matters have been rather quiet on the arrival front in Germany’s northern Autostadt thus far this summer. That is expected to change soon. In addition to Zehnter, Wolfsburg are expected to confirm the capture of Sheffield United midfielder Vinicius Souza shortly. Danish right back Elias Jelert is also reported to be in Christiansen’s sights.

GGFN | Peter Weis

After Paderborn’s failure to gain promotion, Zehnter has begun to attract interest from Bundesliga sides. 1.FC Köln, who are now managed by his former head coach Lukas Kwasniok, and Werder Bremen are interested in the 20-year-old. 

Wolfsburg are now interested; a move for Zehnter would then mean that Joakim Maehle would most likely switch to the right-back. Another option is Amar Dedic of Red Bull Salzburg. 

The Autostadt side are also interested in Dedic’s teammate, midfielder Maurits Kjaergaard. The 21-year-old fits the profile of players that Wolfsburg are looking for, from Scandinavia, and things could pick up after the Club World Cup, where the Dane is currently playing with Salzburg. 

Wolfsburg recently hired Paul Simonis from Go Ahead Eagles as their new head coach, who replaces Ralph Hasenhüttl. Now there is security in the dugout, and Wolfsburg can now look to move forward with their squad planning for this upcoming season. 

GGFN | Jack Meenan