Bundesliga News

Hertha updates:
Buyers for Piatek and Christensen emerge, club to buy back KSC's Gersbeck to tend goal

By Peter Weis   @PeterVicey

Steffen Rohr of Germany's Kicker Magazine reports that relegated capital city side Hertha BSC may have potentially found a permanent solution for getting their highest wage earner off their payroll. 

In other transfer-related Hertha news, the "Berlin Kurier" newspaper reports that the club may have also found a buyer for keeper Oliver Christensen. Germany's main sporting tabloid claims that "die alte Dame" may have also located their preferred 2. Bundesliga keeper. 
Krzystof Piatek.
Krzystof Piatek.Photo: Hertha BSC/citypress
As Hertha BSC prepare for a 2023/24 season in the German second division, shedding the roster of its highest paid players remains priority #1. The club's relatively newly installed front office already scored a major coup last week with the sale of Argentine midfielder Santiago Ascacibar. There are reports that the Charlottenburgers will also soon be able to cash in on Omar Alderete.


The administrative headaches for Hertha are perhaps best exemplified that shedding the roster of loan players such as Ascacibar and Alderete must be completed before the club can begin to think about finding potential buyers for the players currently active on its roster; players such as Suat Serdar, Oliver Christensen, Dodi Lukebakio, and Lucas Tousart.

As pertains to loaned-outed players, there is naturally no greater headache than Polish striker Krzysztof Piatek. Former Hertha sporting CEO Fredi Bobic found himself mired in endless negotiations before he could find a way of getting U.S. Salernitana to assume some of the January 2020 transfer flop's salary. Steffen Rohr of Germany's Kicker Magazine reports that there at least might be some good news on the Piatek front.

Given that the 27-year-old has continued to enjoy some modest success in the Serie A, Poland's "TVP Sport" recently reported that Spanish side FC Girona might be interested in bringing Piatek to La Liga. Rohr confirms this report in an article appearing on Kicker Magazine's website today and notes that there are more potential buyers in both Spain and Italy.

The "Berlin Kourier" newspaper, along with Germany's main sporting tabloid, also report that Hertha have found a potential buyer for at least one of the keepers they wish to offload. Current starter Oliver Christensen has been linked with Brighton & Hove Albion by both sources. The "Kourier" even goes so far as to suggest that a €6.5 million transfer is in the works.

Hertha will also not wish to retain the services of Alexander Schwolow once the 30-year-old returns from his loan stint with FC Schalke 04. Schwolow would constitute a heavy payroll burden. The solution as to who will stand in-between the sticks in the 2. Bundesliga might actually be a rather simple one. Former backstop Marius Gersbeck, currently of the KSC, can be bought back via an option in his current contract.


Gersbeck came up through the Hertha academy, yet was never able to break into the first team. After loan stints at Chemnitz and Osnabrück, Hertha sold him to Karlsruhe for a paltry sum of €45,000 in 2019. Gersbeck ascended to the starter role in Karlsruhe after the KSC achieved promotion back to the 2. Bundesliga.

The "Kurier" reports that Hertha possess a €250,000 buyback clause for Gersbeck, who has a €800,000 market value and remains under contract with the Badeners through 2025. KSC officials were contacted by Kicker Magazine to confirm the existence of the clause. New club sporting director Christian Eichner admitted that he had only recently found out about it.


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