1. FC Cologne
Will Baumgart bring a Cologne player to Berlin?
12/29/2025 – 4:47 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
Linton Maina is not yet playing the role at 1. FC Köln this season that he had hoped for after his contract extension. Will there be an early farewell?
After the climb it was the case 1. FC Cologne Euphoria. Right in the middle: Linton Maina, who announced his contract extension in front of 50,000 cheering fans in May after the clear win against 1. FC Kaiserslautern. Six months later, little of this spirit of optimism remains.
The winger hardly appears athletic. Two appearances in the starting line-up, a total of 278 minutes of action and no involvement in a goal: Maina has been one of the losers in the first half of the season so far. Even in the last phase in which things were going bumpy at FC, he couldn’t find a way back into the first team. In the 0-1 win against Union Berlin, he was only allowed to play shortly before the end.
1. FC Cologne: Maina lost two caregivers in the summer
Maina was considered a fixed point in the promotion season; as the best preparer and pace setter. Now he is obviously missing not only the sporting role, but also a part of the environment that makes him strong. Close contacts in the team are no longer there, personnel decisions clearly affected him – most recently the farewells of Tim Lemperle and Leart Pacarada in the summer. Despite his identification with the club and the city, the question arises as to whether he currently feels comfortable there.
It’s no secret that Maina had other options in the summer. The 26-year-old is said to have turned down more lucrative offers in order to play first-class with Cologne. Financially, he is one of the higher earners at FC – but the decision has not yet paid off in terms of sport.
Meanwhile, there is speculation in the capital. Union Berlin is said to be thinking about a purchase again. That could be a good fit for the Berlin native: Coach Steffen Baumgart knows Maina from their time together in Cologne and appreciates him. Manager Horst Heldt is also considered a supporter from previous positions. Union is officially keeping a low profile and is talking about ideas for the winter – no one is naming names.
A change depends primarily on the transfer fee. Maina has a long-term contract in Cologne. If a club were to offer a sum that would give FC scope for replacements, a farewell would be conceivable. It remains to be seen whether such an offer will come.
Maina’s own plan is just as open. Does he stay and fight his way back? Or is he looking for a new start in winter – perhaps somewhere where he could quickly feel at home again? One thing is clear: the coming weeks will point the way for his future.