By Paul Gorgas and Roberto Lamprecht
His return to Hertha makes the fans of the Bundesliga relegated happy! Karlsruhe keeper Marius Gersbeck (27) is about to move to Berlin. The deal is considered a formality.
According to BZ information, however, it should only be finalized and announced when Hertha receives the DFL license at the beginning of the week, as hoped.
For Gersbeck it is the Hertha comeback after more than four years. This is made possible by a special clause from the then Hertha manager Michael Preetz (55): For a total of 100,000 euros, Gersbeck switched from his youth club in 2019 and after several loan stations (Chemnitz, Osnabrück) to KSC.
There was a fee of 50,000 euros immediately, after the first appearances in the KSC box 50,000 euros afterward – a friendly prize for the club, with which the capital club maintains an intensive fan friendship.
Marius Gersbeck made his only professional appearance for Hertha in the 2-1 win in Dortmund in 2013 – and the fans are still celebrating it to this day Photo: picture alliance / digital photo Matthias
At the same time, Hertha secured a special right of return. The Berliners can buy back Gersbeck by clause – for 300,000 euros as long as Karlsruhe is playing in the second division. The clause expires on June 15 every year – so there is much to suggest that Hertha has already set everything in motion for the change.
And that with a lot of start-up time: According to BZ information, the capital club has had a return plan for months, when relegation was still a long way off. The idea: Gersbeck should be the experienced number 2 behind goalkeeper Oliver Christensen (24) and support the many high-class talents in Hertha’s goalkeeper area as a role model.
The descent could be different now: Should Christensen leave the club for England, Gersbeck would fight for number 1 with Tjark Ernst (20). It is also conceivable that Ernst will be awarded and a jewel like Robert Kwasigroch (18) or Tim Goller (18) will be built up to number 2 behind Gersbeck.
In any case, one thing is clear: For Gersbeck, a heart’s desire will come true with the return. The keeper has been a fervent Hertha fan since childhood and even stood in the curve with the Ultras. He is therefore friends with the former capo and current President Kay Bernstein (42). The return of the fan favorite fits into Bernstein’s vision of the “Berlin way”.
With Gersbeck in goal, Hertha wants to start the mission again!