Hertha updates: Demme rejects move after poor start to season, Lukebakio sale nearly complete
The latest transfer news involving Germany's Charlottenburg city-side is not terribly good. Germany's main sporting tabloid now reports that Diego Demme has opted not to join Hertha BSC following the team's woeful start to the 2. Bundesliga campaign.
Berlin's "alte Dame" has nevertheless reportedly found a taker for attacker Dodi Lukebakio. The Belgian is, according to Sky Germany, in Sevilla for a medical. Germany's Kicker Magazine reports that Hertha are set to net a €9 million transfer fee (plus €2 million in bonuses) for the 25-year-old.
Hertha's disastrous start to the season has - according to Germany's "Sport Bild" tabloid - convinced German international Diego Demme not to join the Berlin outfit he reached a verbal agreement to join a couple of months ago. Pal Dardai's Hertha BSC find themselves dead-last in the 2. Bundesliga table after three matchdays. The team is reeling following a 0-3 loss against Hamburger SV last Saturday night. They've not yet scored a goal.
Berlin's "alte Dame" has nevertheless reportedly found a taker for attacker Dodi Lukebakio. The Belgian is, according to Sky Germany, in Sevilla for a medical. Germany's Kicker Magazine reports that Hertha are set to net a €9 million transfer fee (plus €2 million in bonuses) for the 25-year-old.
Having to cope with the loss of captain Marco Richter and valuable midfielder Suat Serdar earlier in the week, Berlin's "alte Dame" had been hoping for some good news in the form of Demme's arrival. The German tabloid reports that Demme has officially informed the club of his rejection. Trainer Dardai effectively confirmed that the front office was having difficulty securing players in his Thursday presser.
Dardai is - not for the first time - under fire for appearing to show preferential treatment to his sons: Marton, Palko, and Bence. The club gaffer rejected any claims of nepotism at the presser, going so far as to say that the media was "bullying" him on the issue. Dardai also confirmed that newly acquired veteran Toni Leistner would inherit the armband from Richter. Leistner may still not play this weekend due to a broken nose.
Hertha have generated a positive transfer balance of approximately €19 million this summer. Multiple German footballing media sources report that this figure is about to grow significantly with the sale of Dodi Lukebakio. The eight-times-capped Belgian international is currently in Sevilla undergoing his medical. Germany's Kicker Magazine reports that Hertha are set to net a €9 million base-transfer-fee for him, plus €2 million in potential bonuses.