Union Berlin loses Max Kruse before the end of this transfer period. VfL Wolfsburg brings the offensive player back after five and a half years.
Second collaboration with Kohfeldt – transfer fee of five million euros under discussion
Kruse’s contract in Berlin expired at the end of the season – now he is moving half a year earlier. The 33-year-old already played for the Wolves in the 2015/16 season and for Werder Bremen under current Wolfsburg coach Florian Kohfeldt. A transfer fee of five million euros is being discussed.
Kruse accepts a “long-term and highly remunerated offer “
“I thank you all for your trust in me – and now I ask you for your understanding for my decision to accept an offer that is long-term and highly remunerated,” Kruse said. “In addition, it is about a club where I still have a chapter open that I can now write to the end. No decision is easy, and I know what’s coming for me now – but it’s my decision. “
At Wolfsburg, Kruse signs a contract until June 30, 2023 – subject to a sports medical examination, which will take place on Monday. The relegation-threatened Lower Saxony side expect Kruse to “help VfL immediately”, as VfL sporting director Marcel Schäfer is quoted as saying in a statement from the Wolves. According to Schäfer, Kruse is “a player who can be used flexibly in the offensive and who has proven his footballing qualities at every club he has played for so far”.
“Parting hits us unexpectedly “
Union, on the other hand, must first digest Kruse’s departure. He had “helped the club a lot with his experience, his skills and not least his goals”, said managing director Oliver Ruhnert. “His departure is unexpected and it will be a demanding task to compensate for this loss in sporting terms. However, he really wanted to make this change now, so we have come to an agreement with VfL Wolfsburg accordingly. “
President Dirk Zingler added: “The most successful and economically valuable phase of our club’s history, in addition to many players, coaches and staff, is also thanks to Max Kruse, we will not forget that. However, if he now deliberately decides against the chance to make history with Union this season, we accept that.” He said it had been “decided by mutual consent not to force Max to stay at Union against his will contractually, but to have the sporting loss adequately compensated financially. “
Kruse leaves the Eisernen as current top scorer
2019 Kruse had left Werder for Fenerbahce and returned to the Bundesliga a year later – to Berlin. Since then, he has played 38 Bundesliga games for Union, scoring 16 goals and providing eleven assists. This season, he is the top scorer with five goals and six assists for the European Cup aspirants, who are fourth in the table ahead of matchday 21.
Union under time pressure?
With Kruse’s surprising departure, the Eisernen are now faced with the question of whether and, if so, how they want to replace their fixture in the offensive line. The decision-makers in Köpenick do not have much time, as the transfer window closes on Monday evening at 6 pm.
