1. FC Köln: Candidate Pohjanpalo before Venezia change – Hrgota not an issue

Reports on Bayer strikers

He looked set to succeed striker Anthony Modeste at 1. FC Köln, but Bayer Leverkusen’s Joel Pohjanpalo (27) is now set to move to Venice. According to information from “Sky” both in Italy and in Germany, it’s off to the second division team in the lagoon city. It is all the more questionable whether a replacement for Modeste, who has moved to Dortmund, will return to the cathedral city, as coach Steffen Baumgart has just invalidated the rumors about Greuther Fürth’s Branimir Hrgota (29).

In Germany, reporter Marlon Irlbacher says there have been talks between Bayer Leverkusen and Venezia. There is a transfer fee of just over one million euros for the Finn, who is tied to the “Werkself” for another year. Valentina Mariani in Italy (via Gianluca Di Marzio) goes one step further: According to this, a transfer is already in the pipeline in such a way that Pohjanpalo is expected in Venice on Thursday.

Baumgart: No talks with Hrgota – open striker question at 1. FC Köln

It would be one name less in the rumor mill about Cologne and a new attacker. Apparently Hrgota can also be removed from the list. In any case, Coach Baumgart vigorously denied any connection between FC and Sweden on Wednesday. “He has a lot that makes a good offensive player,” said Baumgart (via “dpa”). “But no, we’re not on to him. And no, we haven’t had any conversations.”

After Modeste’s EUR 5 million departure to BVB, which resulted in the names of Jhon Cordoba (Krasnodar) and Alexander Sörloth (RB Leipzig), it is no longer clear whether an attacker should fill the gap at all. The billy goats had not publicly commented on a clear direction in the question. Baumgart only said last week: “There is a decision. But I’ll keep to myself what it looks like. Because I think it’s interesting and funny who we’re supposed to be talking to or who we’re about to graduate with. I would like to keep this going. I think speculation is great.” Pohjanpalo had been identified by the Geissblog as the favorite to succeed Modeste at the weekend.

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