Report: Julian Weigl seeks way out of Portugal
A recent change of agents has some speculating that former German national team prospect Julian Weigl will seek a new club in the January transfer window.
During the first half of the 2019/20 campaign, it became increasingly apparent that there was simply no more room in the Dortmund midfield for then 24-year-old specialist Julian Weigl. A January move to Portuguese side Benfica Lisbon afforded the youngster a path to a career revival after his debilitating 2017 injury left him too far back on the depth chart.
Weigl immediately became a regular under head coach Bruno Lage and appeared well entrenched with the new club he had signed for through 2024. His fortunes fell this autumn under new trainer Jorge Jesus. The ex-Dortmunder featured in only six fixtures, playing the full 90 minutes on only one occasion.
Germany's SportBild now reports that, after his handling agency declined to assist him with a move out of Portugal, Weigl signed up with known mover-and-shaker Pini Zahavi. The same agent who advises David Alaba and Robert Lewandowski, according to the tabloid, actively seeks another club for Weigl.
The new 25-year-old's estimated worth has fallen considerably. Once valued at €30 million, the BVB obtained €20 million for him last winter. Transfermarkt.de lists his current value at €17 million. Bundesliga clubs might be interested at bringing him in at such a price.
In an interview with SportBild in early November, Weigl acknowledged that engineering a move might be difficult.
"I know that I carry a lot of baggage and have my critics," he told the newspaper then, "I'm not the type of player to set the pitch on fire with loads of tricks. As a defensive player, my qualities lie elsewhere."
SportBild reports that no tangible offers have surfaced yet.