Newsblog for 1. FC Cologne
Talent changes: FC loses U17 world champion
Updated on 08.05.2025 – 8:29 a.m.Reading time: 64 min.
The 1. FC Köln is the football club from the cathedral city. In the New sticker on T-Online you will find all the important messages about the “billy goats”.
The 1. FC Köln has lost the fight for another top talent: As the “kicker” reports, Justin von der Hitz will not extend his expiring contract. The outdoor car player is one of the absolute top performers in the U19 team of the “Boils”, which is currently in the semi-finals for the German championship.
Apparently doubts about the heat on the way that the FC managers showed him and would like to make the leap into senior football at another location. Among other things, FC Schalke 04 and Bayer Leverkusen are said to be interested in the 18-year-old, who became U17 world champion in 2023 with the DFB selection.
Eric Martel changed the consultant. The most valuable player of the 1. FC Köln (estimated market value at six million euros) is now being looked after by long-time Bundesliga manager Michael Reschke. “I can confirm that I take care of Eric’s concerns with his father Gerhard,” said the former official of Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich to the “Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger”.
In this course, Reschke also confirmed that Martel will have an exit clause again in the coming summer if FC would fail to promote FC. “The clause is available, we do not publicly communicate further contract content.” The Cologne -based contract would be happy to extend Martels by 2026 and would be willing to significantly increase his salary. Should the midfielder not want to extend, the FC would also have to sell it in the event of a promotion in order to be able to generate a transfer.
The 1. FC Köln is said to have inquired about Jonathan Fischer on the transfer market. This is reported by the portal “FussballTransfers.com”. The 23-year-old goalkeeper is currently under contract with the Norwegian first division club Fredrikstad FK by 2028. There the Dane kept his box a remarkable 20 times clean in 40 competitive games. Fischer would be a candidate at FC as a possible deputy of Marvin Schwäbe.
The Anthony Racioppi, loaned by Hull City in winter as number two in winter, is likely to leave the club after half a year. In the last two games, the Swiss did not belong to the squad and had slipped behind Philipp Pentke in the hierarchy. Fischer could therefore become a new Swabian challenger in summer, although numerous international clubs are also said to be interested in the keeper.
The 1st FC Köln has confirmed the separation from Christian Keller as sports director and Gerhard Struber as head coach. As the billy goats announced on Monday, Thomas Kessler, as sports director, takes over the tasks of Kellers, while Friedhelm Funkel, as head coach, is supposed to lead FC to promotion.
“Our decision is the result of a detailed analysis of sporting development in the past few weeks,” said President Werner Wolf. “In view of the still great chance of direct return, we have to do everything we can to take advantage of this opportunity.” FC cannot rely on the results of the competition. “The team has to reflect on their own strength for the last two games. It now needs new impulses. We haven’t seen them anymore.”
Christian Keller and Gerhard Struber are in front of the 1st FC Köln. The personnel bang announced on Sunday when the board, management and sporting management met for the crisis discussion. On Sunday evening, the sports director and the head coach have to go – and immediately.
The discharge of the duo is to be confirmed by the association on Monday morning. In the embarrassment of 1-1 against Regensburg, the fans of the billy goats had turned against the basement and struber and loudly demanded the duo to be thrown out. Two game days before the end, FC is there without a sporting tour.