The winter transfer window opens almost everywhere in January. blue Sport reports the most important changes and also serves up hot rumors.
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Christian Fassnacht returns to YB
A transfer hit at Young Boys: After one and a half years at Norwich City, Christian Fassnacht is returning to YB with immediate effect. The Bernese club and the 31-year-old attacking player have signed a two-and-a-half-year contract until the summer of 2027.
"I was able to fulfill my dream of playing abroad and will have very fond memories of my time at Norwich, even though I made fewer appearances than I had hoped for this season due to injury. I have never lost contact with many people at YB," Fassnacht is quoted as saying in a press release.
He continued: "The sporting management made a huge effort to support me and encouraged me that it was a good time to come home. I am convinced that I still have a few successful years ahead of me in my football career and will do everything I can to ensure that YB regains its former strength."
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Wayne Rooney no longer coach of Plymouth
Former England international Wayne Rooney has lost his coaching position at English second division club Plymouth Argyle. They have agreed to go their separate ways with immediate effect, according to a statement on the Championship club's website. Rooney had only taken over as coach in May. Plymouth are currently bottom of the English Championship table.
Having enjoyed great success as a player, the 39-year-old is still waiting for his breakthrough as a coach. He only held his previous post at Birmingham City FC for a short time. He had previously tried his hand at coaching in the USA with D.C. United and English club Derby County - also unsuccessfully.
![As a player, Wayne Rooney became a legend, as a coach he was less successful.]()
As a player, Wayne Rooney became a legend, as a coach he was less successful. DPA -
Fonseca confirms his Milan exit in the car
After less than six months, the traditional Italian club AC Milan is parting ways with coach Paulo Fonseca. The 51-year-old Portuguese confirmed his premature departure to Sky Sport Italia. "Yes, it's true," he said from the car as he left the San Siro stadium after Sunday's 1:1 draw against AS Roma: "I did everything I could."
To make matters worse, he was shown a red card shortly before the break in the home game. In eighth place in the table, Milan are even outside the international ranks. Fonseca took over the team on July 1. In the meantime, the club has also confirmed the Portuguese's departure.
According to "La Gazzetta dello Sport" and "La Repubblica", his successor will be compatriot Sérgio Conceição. The 50-year-old once played for Milan's city rivals Inter Milan and most recently coached FC Porto for seven years until last summer.
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Salah doubts Liverpool will stay: "Far away"
Mohamed Salah is once again causing speculation about his future at Liverpool FC. After the Premier League leaders' 5-0 win over West Ham United on Sunday evening, the Egyptian superstar expressed doubts about extending his contract. "We're still a long way from that," explained the 32-year-old, whose current contract expires in the summer.
Salah has been in outstanding form this season and was also directly involved in three goals against the Hammers. Nevertheless, it could be his last year at Anfield if no agreement is reached. "I don't want to put something in the media and people start saying things. Nothing has really moved, but at the moment I'm focused on the team and hopefully we win the Premier League," said Salah.
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Steffen Baumgart new coach of Union Berlin
As expected, Steffen Baumgart is the new coach of Union Berlin. The Rostockian succeeds Bo Svensson from Denmark, who was sacked on Friday. Baumgart, who turns 53 at the beginning of January, returns to the Bundesliga one year after being released by 1. FC Köln. Baumgart's last appointment was short-lived. At the end of November, he left his post at second division club Hamburger SV after just nine months.
The commitment in Berlin is tantamount to a return. Baumgart played for the then second division club for two seasons from the summer of 2002 and achieved cult status among the fans of the Iron. He was twice voted Union's footballer of the year.
![Steffen Baumgart should get Union back on track.]()
Steffen Baumgart should get Union back on track. Bernd Thissen/dpa -
Breitenreiter becomes Hannover coach again
André Breitenreiter, who coached FC Zurich to the championship title in 2022, is to lead Hannover back into the Bundesliga.
The 51-year-old German is taking over the coaching position from the sacked Stefan Leitl. At the halfway point of the season, Hannover are in 7th place in the Bundesliga 2, just behind the promotion places.
Breitenreiter managed promotion to the Bundesliga with his parent club Hannover in 2017. He later coached FC Zurich very successfully and, less recently, Hoffenheim and English side Huddersfield.
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Is Okafor moving to Turkey?
Noah Okafor is having a hard time at AC Milan and is not getting beyond the role of a supplementary player. The international striker's contract at Milan runs until 2028, but a loan move could be on the cards in January. According to Turkish journalist Kagan Dursun, Okafor has been offered to top Istanbul club Galatasaray on loan.
Galatasaray are looking to strengthen their attack in the winter. In addition to Okafor, the Turks are apparently also keeping an eye on Christopher Nkunku, Georges Mikautadze and Randal Kolo Muani.
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More stars: Guardiola sees shopping spree as a solution
Can Manchester City buy their way out of the crisis? January 1 could be the Citizens' salvation. That's when the transfer window opens. And for all Guardiola's brilliance, it has been City's custom in the past to respond to weakness with transfers. Big transfers. After all, they have an extremely solvent owner in the form of the ruling family in Abu Dhabi. "Of course we have to try," said the 53-year-old. We have problems at the back and in the middle. Even if that is one of those things with winter transfers.
![Will Manchester City strengthen in the winter transfer window?]()
Will Manchester City strengthen in the winter transfer window? Petr Josek/AP -
De Jong advisor denies Saudi Arabia rumors
"Total nonsense" says Ali Dursun, advisor to Frenkie de Jong, about rumors of a transfer of the midfielder to Saudi Arabia at "Telegraaf". The rumors would distract from de Jong's true ambitions. "He only wants one thing: to shine at Barcelona, the club he loves."
![Frenki de Jong and Ali Dursun at a photo shoot in December 2018.]()
Frenki de Jong and Ali Dursun at a photo shoot in December 2018. Imago -
Jonathan Tah is said to have opted for a move to Barça
According to a media report, German international Jonathan Tah is on the verge of a move to FC Barcelona. The Catalan specialist newspaper Mundo Deportivo reports that the central defender's decision to join the Catalans in the summer has been made. The 28-year-old's contract with Bayer Leverkusen expires on June 30. Tah can therefore move on a free transfer next summer.
At FC Barcelona, which is coached by former national team coach Hansi Flick, Tah is set to receive a long-term contract until June 30, 2030, according to the report. Like Barça, FC Bayern is said to have already made efforts to sign the defender last season. After a failed transfer at the end of last season, Tah emphasized that he did not want to extend his contract at Leverkusen.
![Jonathan Tah and Granit Xhaka won the double with Leverkusen in 23/24.]()
Jonathan Tah and Granit Xhaka won the double with Leverkusen in 23/24. KEYSTONE -
Yverdon signs Paolo Tramezzani
Yverdon Sport has found the successor to the sacked Alessandro Mangiarratti. As expected, Paolo Tramezzani has taken over as coach of the tenth-placed team in the Super League, the club announced.
Tramezzani has signed a fixed-term contract until next summer with the Vaud side, who have not won in eight games. The 54-year-old Italian has already coached Lugano and FC Sion in the Super League. He was relegated to the Challenge League with the Valais side in 2023 after losing the barrage and had to leave the club. Most recently, he worked for NK Istra in Croatia.
With Tramezzani, the Yverdon team will travel to Portugal for a ten-day training camp on January 2. The first competitive match under the new coach is scheduled for January 19 at FC Zurich.
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Pirmin Schwegler takes over as manager in Frankfurt
Pirmin Schwegler returns to Eintracht Frankfurt as Head of Professional Football. The player from central Switzerland, who played for the Bundesliga club from 2009 to 2014, will take over the position from the start of 2025.
"He will be close to the team, hold many discussions and therefore be an important point of contact for the boys," said Frankfurt's Chief Sports Officer Markus Krösche, describing the job profile.
Schwegler, 37, held the same position at Hoffenheim for a year and a half until last September.
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Kololli from FCB to Sion
The 32-year-old attacking player Benjamin Kololli is leaving FC Basel to join FC Sion with immediate effect. He has signed a contract with the Valais club that runs until June 2026.
It is a return for Kololli. Born in Aigle in 1992, the Kosovo international trained at FC Sion and made his Super League debut for the Valais side in 2013. After several spells in Switzerland, he moved to Japan three years ago. During the last winter break, he joined FC Basel, for whom he has since made 21 appearances.
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Union Berlin pulls the ripcord and sacks Svensson
Union Berlin reacts to the sporting crisis and releases coach Bo Svensson. After nine games without a win in a row, the team in twelfth place in the Bundesliga has pulled the ripcord.
Svensson had only joined the Köpenickers in the summer and had seemingly put the team back on the road to success after the team struggled to stay in the league. After the eighth matchday, the "Eisernen" were in 4th place, but then came the crash that cost the 45-year-old Dane his job. It is still unclear who will succeed Svensson at the Alte Försterei.
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Sporting part company with Amorim's successor after eight games
After just a few weeks, João Pereira has to leave as coach of Sporting Lisbon. The champions already have a successor.
Rui Borges is the new coach of Portuguese champions Sporting Lisbon. The 43-year-old comes from league rivals Vitória Guimarães for a transfer fee of 4.1 million euros and replaces the previous Sporting coach João Pereira, who was suspended after just eight games. Borges has signed a contract with Sporting until June 30, 2026 plus an option to extend for a further year, the club announced.
After the previous successful coach Rúben Amorim moved to Manchester United in November, Sporting initially opted for Pereira and gave him a contract until 2027. However, after disappointing results, the former coach of the club's U23s was parted ways with after just a few weeks.
![João Pereira had to leave after just a few weeks as Sporting coach.]()
João Pereira had to leave after just a few weeks as Sporting coach. picture alliance / dpa -
On Christmas Day: Valencia presents new coach
Valencia FC presented its fans with a new coach on Christmas Day. Carlos Corberán signed a contract until 2027 and takes over from Ruben Baraja. The move is made possible by an exit clause in Corberán's contract as coach of English second division club West Bromwich Albion, as Valencia FC announced.
For Corberán, it is a return to his homeland; the 41-year-old was born in the province of Valencia. He also began his coaching career at Valencia FC at the age of 23.
The traditional club currently only occupies second-last place in the Spanish league and is already four points behind the non-relegation places. The crisis led to the dismissal of Baraja, who enjoys hero status at the club due to his great successes as a player.
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Bayern's Jamal Musiala comments on the contract poker
Jamal Musiala hopes for a good outcome for both sides in the poker game over a contract extension at FC Bayern. "Let's hope so! The talks are ongoing, that's all I can say," said the 21-year-old attacking star in an interview with the "Süddeutsche Zeitung" about his future with the German record champions. Musiala's current contract in Munich runs until the summer of 2026.
Sports director Max Eberl wants Musiala to become the face of FC Bayern. "It's an honor, Bayern is one of the biggest clubs in the world," said Musiala. "For me, it's about having fun, working, continuing to improve, hopefully winning games and titles, but also not putting too much pressure on myself."
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Uli Forte new coach of FC Winterthur
Uli Forte is the new coach of Super League bottom club Winterthur. Prior to this, the Zurich native will terminate his contract with Neuchâtel Xamax in the Challenge League.
On Christmas Eve, Xamax announced the termination of Forte's contract by mutual agreement, while FC Winterthur announced his arrival on its website.
Winterthur parted ways with head coach Ognjen Zaric last week due to poor results. Now the 50-year-old Forte is to ensure the club stays in the league. He has signed a contract until the summer of 2026, with the team at the bottom of the table two points behind Grasshoppers and four behind Yverdon.
Forte has a wealth of experience in Swiss top-flight football and has led FC Zurich and GC to cup victories, among others. He joined Xamax in April 2023 as a "fireman" and led the Neuchâtel side from last place to retaining their place in the league. He should now be able to do the same at Winterthur. "We are convinced that we have found the right man for our goals in Uli Forte," FCW sporting director Oliver Kaiser is quoted as saying.
Xamax, who occupy 6th place in the Challenge League, also already have a successor for Forte. As had been speculated in recent days, 47-year-old Frenchman Anthony Braizat will take over. He was most recently coach at Stade Lausanne-Ouchy from May 2022 to November 2023, which he led to the Super League but had to leave after thirteen games.
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Lugano brings in another striker from Chicago
FC Lugano is strengthening its squad with another striker from partner club Chicago Fire. The Greek junior international
joins the Ticino club on loan during the winter break, as the club announced.
The 20-year-old center forward comes from the PAOK Thessaloniki junior section. He moved to the USA at the start of 2023. In two seasons for Chicago Fire, Koutsias made 57 appearances in Major League Soccer, scoring five goals.
The loan contract runs until the end of 2025, after which Lugano has an option to buy.
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Steven Zuber joins FC Zurich
Steven Zuber is returning to the Super League after eleven years. The 56-time Swiss international has signed a contract with FC Zurich until 2026.
Zuber played for AEK Athens for two years after several spells in Germany. He won the double with the Greek club in 2023. This season, the 33-year-old attacking player only made five appearances and was no longer in the squad.
Zuber terminated his contract, which was valid until the summer of 2025, early and has now joined FCZ, where his former advisor Milos Malenovic acts as head of sport. Fun fact: Zuber comes from the Grasshoppers' youth ranks and made 146 appearances for the city rivals before moving to ZSKA Moscow in 2013.
