Sport Bild Report: Union inch closer to deal for Grüll
Germany's main sporting tabloid reports that - having submitted a concrete offer for a January transfer - Union Berlin are about to emerge as winners in the race for Austrian winger Marco Grüll.
FC Union Berlin are, according to Germany's "Sport Bild" tabloid, the only remaining top division German club alive in the race to acquire Rapid Wien attacking flanker Marco Grüll. Other Bundesliga sides such as FSV Mainz 05, VfL Bochum, and SV Werder Bremen were rumored to be interested in the 25-year-old. Union are apparently inching closer to a deal by virtue of the fact that they've submitted an offer to procure Grüll on a January transfer. The remaining clubs only wished to pick Grüll up on a free this summer when his contract expires.
Union - Germany Champions' League representatives who surprisingly found themselves dragged into the relegation race this year - have already landed two targeted signings during the current January transfer window. Hoffenheim defender Kevin Vogt is already anchoring head-coach Nenad Bjelica's defensive corps. At a pre-match presser yesterday, Bjelica likened newly-signed striker Chris Bedia to Romelu Lukaku and hinted that the Ivorian might be in line for an immediate start in tomorrow's league encounter against Bayern.
Grüll can serve as a much-needed reinforcement on either the left or right rail. Bjelica also revealed that an injury to right wingback Josip Juranovic will keep the Croatian sidelined for a while at his presser yesterday. With veteran Christopher Trimmel now the only option for the slot, the Köpenickers shall be hoping to gain a player capable of playing on the opposite side of left wingbacks Jerome Roussillon and Robin Gosens as soon as possible.