Union updates: Attila Szalai set to join FCU, keeper Grill receives loan-out
New German Champions' League representatives 1. FC Union Berlin are - according to Germany's preeminent footballing publication - on the verge of securing yet another major transfer coup.
In other Union related transfer news, a loan-out for backup keeper Lennart Grill was confirmed earlier this afternoon.
In other Union related transfer news, a loan-out for backup keeper Lennart Grill was confirmed earlier this afternoon.
| Attila Szalai | beIN SPORTS Türkiye CC-BY-SA 3.0 |
Hungarian defender Attila Szalai is, according to Germany's Kicker Magazine, also set to suit up for the new German Champions' League representatives. The 35-times-capped international - currently of Fenerbahçe - will cost Oliver Ruhnert and the FCU administrative team some €14 million. Sporting director Ruhnert, per Kicker, decided to up an initial offer for the centerback/left back in order to seal the transfer quickly.
Kicker notes that the Turkish club have, in principle, accepted Ruhnert's latest offer. It might still be the case that other interested European sides (most notably OGC Nice) might try and raise the stakes with an even larger offer. The German footballing trade journal nevertheless rates Union's chances very high, even if there might be a slight delay.
One deal involving Union can be confirmed at this point. Keeper Lennart Grill - recently purchased from Bayer 04 Leverkusen - will spend next season on loan at VfL Osnabrück. The former Germany U21 starter is expected to accrue significant experience in the second division. Grill deputized for Union #1 Fredrick Rønnow five times last year in the top flight.
Grill is Union's third significant loan-out of the summer. Defender Tymoteusz Puchacz was sent over to Grill's old youth academy side of 1. Fc Kaiserslautern last month. Additionally, Ruhnert and the club's front office decided to extend Japanese attacker Keita Endo's loan arrangement with Eintracht Braunschweig for another year.
Unser Neuzugang direkt im Einsatz. 🤝🏼#vfl1899 pic.twitter.com/wMPFkBCOiP
— VfL Osnabrück (@VfL_1899) July 10, 2023
