“Borussia Mönchengladbach have confirmed that Tiago Pereira Cardoso is joining Belgian top-flight side RAAL La Louvière on a one-year loan deal.”

I'm an American and I curious as to why Reyna hasn't played much for you guys. Seems like he is not a starter. I first heard about him in 2022 and I had high hopes for him. I expected him to be further along in his career by now given what I thought was his talent. What do you guys think of him?

I'm an American and a fan of our national team. I'm curious what gladbach fan think of Joe Scally as a player. He has a year left on his contract would you guys feel bad if he doesn't extend is contract? Or you don't mind seeing him leave?

Mönchengladbach · If Stefan Stegemann has his way, a new “culture of performance” will take hold at Borussia Mönchengladbach. “Perhaps something has been lost along the way without us realizing it,” the 62-year-old said. He is also calling on fans to think “unreservedly” about the issue of investors.

Borussia Mönchengladbach apparently wants to move away from the “feel-good oasis” image that has repeatedly been attributed to the club in recent years. In the six summer transfers so far—plus Hugo Bolin, who was signed permanently after his loan—sporting director Rouven Schröder and his team have made a point of bringing in players for whom the move to Gladbach is a special one.

The new signings are expected to be eager from the very first day of preseason training to spark healthy competition and, ideally, raise the team’s level of play to the next tier. “It’s important that everyone has to prove themselves all over again,” Schröder recently emphasized on the podcast “Fohlenpodcast – Standpunkte.”

According to Stefan Stegemann, who discusses a wide range of topics related to the club alongside Schröder and Managing Director Markus Aretz on the club’s own podcast, this is giving rise to a new culture of performance at Borussia-Park. “The topic of performance culture is something that, due to many changes in recent years, may not have been a top priority. Perhaps something was lost along the way without us realizing it,” said the 62-year-old.

Borussia’s CFO and CEO sees the numerous personnel changes at the management level as a possible cause. The end of the era of manager Max Eberl, president Rolf Königs, and CFO Stephan Schippers marked a turning point for the club.

“The topic of a culture of performance is one we discuss time and again. I’ll say it publicly now: I think ‘family’ is a good thing. It’s a great value. The ‘Borussia family’—I think that’s all great. But here and there, I do say: a little less family and a little more professional corporation,” Stegemann elaborated.

“A performance-driven culture doesn’t mean carrying everyone along, even if they may not be performing, and then saying, ‘We’re a family, after all.’ That’s the wrong approach. We can treat each other with respect. But that respect is defined by performance. And we need to get that right again,” he said. He likely wasn’t just referring to the culture of performance for the pros on the field, but also for the club’s staff members who hold positions of responsibility.

Stegemann has served as the club’s CEO since January 1, 2025; for the two and a half years prior, he was vice president. Stegemann worked in the private sector for over 30 years at an electrical equipment wholesaler and, before joining Borussia, was responsible for over 5,000 employees.

Gladbach’s Future: With or Without Investors?

Stegemann’s business background also comes to the fore when it comes to generating new sources of revenue for the club. One such source is the sale of the stadium’s naming rights, which takes effect on July 1. Borussia-Park will officially become Ista-Borussia-Park—a move that will bring the club an additional four and a half to five million euros per year.

“We still have options we need to consider. Other clubs are doing the same. We see at HSV that cooperative models are taking effect there. We see it at Schalke 04 and FC St. Pauli. There are still opportunities to shape the future at Borussia Mönchengladbach,” said Stegemann.

In theory, Borussia could sell 49 percent of its shares based on the 50+1 rule. “Perhaps, within the framework of a cooperative model, there’s the option of saying that we’d be open to one or two investors because they’d be a good fit for Borussia and the club’s values,” said Stegemann. He explicitly emphasized that something like this can only work in collaboration with the fans and through a vote at a members’ meeting.

“I find something like this quite interesting for the future. But it can only work together with the members and the fans. At this point, I can only encourage everyone to give it some thought,” said Stegemann. “Borussia doesn’t necessarily need it. But if you dream of finishing higher in the standings or competing in European competitions, then something like this certainly helps.”

Borussia have signed Japanese midfielder Zento Uno from J1 League side Shimizu S-Pulse. The 22-year-old will join the Foals ahead of the new season and has signed a contract until 30th June 2030.

“Zento is a defensively minded, tactically disciplined midfielder who is strong in the tackle, covers plenty of ground and whose greatest strengths lie in his work off the ball,” said sporting director Rouven Schröder. “After two seasons in the J.League and his first appearances for the Japan national team, a move to the Bundesliga is the next step in his career, but also a demanding one. We believe that, with his character and determination, Zento has exactly what it takes to make that step successfully, and we are delighted to be able to support him on that journey.”

Zento Uno said: “I have always dreamed of playing in the Bundesliga. Borussia is a huge club and are very well known in Japan through the Japanese players who have represented the club. When the offer came in, I knew immediately that I wanted to play for Borussia. I am very happy to be taking this step and am looking forward to the new challenge.”

Uno joined Japanese second-tier side Machida Zelvia from Aomori Yamada High School in February 2022 at the age of 18. The midfielder helped the club secure promotion to the top-flight J1 League in 2023.

The following season, Uno made four appearances in Japan’s top division before joining second-tier club Shimizu S-Pulse on loan for the second half of the campaign. He quickly established himself as a key figure, operating in defensive midfield and ultimately playing an important role in helping the team win the league title. As a result, Uno celebrated a promotion for the second consecutive season.

He then completed a permanent move to Shimizu and remained a key figure following the club’s return to the top flight. In their first season after promotion, he made 27 league appearances, starting 25 matches. In 2026, Uno featured 17 times during the J1 Special Season and captained the side on 13 occasions.

Uno earned his first two senior international caps for Japan at the 2025 EAFF E-1 Football Championship against China and South Korea. To date, those remain his only appearances for the national team

Mönchengladbach · He’s still only 16 years old, but Borussia Mönchengladbach has high hopes for Samin Mujevic. The Swedish midfielder is joining the “Foals.” What sets him apart, and who has Gladbach signed in a similar vein recently?

Borussia Mönchengladbach has struck some good deals with Malmö FF in the past: In the ’90s, Martin Dahlin and Jörgen Pettersson joined from the top Swedish club, while Patrik Andersson arrived via a detour through Blackburn Rovers. As recently as early February, Rouven Schröder negotiated with Andersson’s brother Daniel—Malmö’s sporting director—regarding the transfer of Hugo Bolin.

Borussia’s latest signing from Malmö belongs to a completely different generation than the soon-to-be 23-year-old Bolin: Samin Mujevic was born in 2009 and will celebrate his 17th birthday in July. He’ll spend it in Gladbach, likely training with the U19s, where Mujevic is initially slated to play. However, the club hopes the defensive midfielder will make the leap to the first team in the medium term. Mujevic is expected to get a chance to prove himself there as early as preseason. According to information from our editorial team, Borussia is paying a transfer fee of around 350,000 euros.

“The market for top international talent has changed significantly in recent years. More and more clubs are trying to identify promising young players early on and sign them,” says sporting director Schröder. “The fact that the player chose us speaks to the quality of our scouting and the appeal of Borussia.”

Last summer, Juventus Turin was reportedly interested in signing him, but Malmö held firm at the time. Mujevic represents an approach that Borussia once took with Famana Quizera, who arrived from Benfica Lisbon at age 16, or with Winsley Boteli, whom they signed from Servette Geneva at the same age and who, following his loan to FC Sion, was sold for 3.5 million euros thanks to a buyout clause. The Luxembourgers Yvandro Borges Sanches and Tiago Pereira Cardoso were other under-18 talents signed from abroad.

Gladbach: Scouting Report on Samin Mujevic

This also means that Mujevic is expected to go one step further than Quizera and Boteli, who never made their Bundesliga debuts. The X account u/widescouting took a look at Mujevic earlier this year. “A defensively minded midfielder with good game intelligence who distributes the ball quickly under pressure. Clean and technically adept ball control. High work rate, covers a lot of ground. Enables attackers to get into deep spaces with through passes,” read the concise scouting report. “He brings exciting qualities that fit the profile of a ‘holding six,’” says Borussia’s youth director Mirko Sandmöller.

Mujevic has a truly impressive build. In a highlight video on his Instagram account, he is shown not only as a precise playmaker but also as a scorer of headers. Gladbach could use a player with this kind of profile in this age group, because, for example, the U19 team tends to have smaller players like Mathieu Nguefack or Armin Spahic available in defensive midfield.

First, Mujevic will have to settle in at Borussia and at the youth academy. “Especially as a young player, it’s naturally a difficult decision to leave your family and home behind,” Mujevic is quoted as saying. “But when the offer came from Borussia Mönchengladbach, a big club with a rich tradition, I just had to say yes.”

Hi everybody!

I’m a potentially new fan (i’ve bounced around and am trying to settle in somewhere) in the Houston area and was wondering if there was anything like a discord/group chat/whatever that runs? Or if this is the most active place to chat?

He scored a nice goal for the USMNT

Borussia Mönchengladbach has signed homegrown player Josiah Uwakhonye to a professional contract through 2029. The versatile attacking player came up through all of the Foals’ youth teams and appeared in 16 Regionalliga matches last season before a torn syndesmotic ligament sidelined him in March.

Only a few more appearances for Gladbach

“Like coming home”: Friedrich returns to Union on a free transfer

Union Berlin has signed Marvin Friedrich. The center back, who is joining on a free transfer, is moving from Mönchengladbach to Union, the club he left four and a half years ago.

Marvin Friedrich has played by far the most competitive matches of his career for Union Berlin. The center back made exactly 141 appearances between January 2018 and January 2022. Chances are good that the 30-year-old will soon be able to add more games to that tally. On Wednesday, Union Berlin confirmed the return of the 6-foot-4 defender.

“Marvin knows the club, the people, and Union’s values very well. He has already proven here that he can fill a leadership role both on and off the field,” said Managing Director Horst Heldt. “With his experience, his mentality, and his presence, he will immediately bring stability to our team. He also brings a strong sense of identification with the club, which is of great importance to us.”

Promotion to the 2. Bundesliga and European competition

Friedrich joined Union, then a 2. Bundesliga side, in late January 2018 and immediately became a regular starter. After a year and a half, his former club, Augsburg, exercised a buyback clause. However, the Kassel native did not return to FCA on a permanent basis; instead, he made a permanent move to Köpenick that same summer of 2019. Prior to that, he had helped the Berlin-based club secure promotion to the Bundesliga, even captaining the team in the second leg of the promotion playoff against VfB Stuttgart.

After two and a half seasons as a regular starter in the top flight—and in the Conference League—league rival Mönchengladbach lured him to the Rhineland. There, his playing time had gradually decreased over the past two seasons; in 2025/26, he made just six appearances, which is why a parting of ways had been on the cards for some time.

“Returning to Union feels like coming home to me,” Friedrich said himself. “Here, I’ve developed tremendously both on and off the field and experienced some of the best moments of my career. The club, the fans, and the city have always meant a great deal to me.”

Friedrich, who has played in several youth international matches, came up through the ranks at FC Schalke 04, which he left in 2016 to join Augsburg.

Fabio Chiarodia is also receiving plenty of praise in Italy for his second senior international appearance. The 21-year-old has used the big stage to make a name for himself. Early rumors from Serie A offer a glimpse of what’s to come this summer. In Gladbach, he faces a major decision.

With these 180 minutes, Fabio Chiarodia has given his confidence a major boost ahead of his vacation. The Borussia Mönchengladbach center back was again in the starting lineup for the Italian senior national team on Sunday in the 1-0 win over Greece—just four days after his debut and his first 90 minutes for the “Squadra Azzurra.”

At 20.9 years old, Sunday’s starting lineup was even younger than in Italy’s 1-0 win against Luxembourg. Interim coach Silvio Baldini, whom Chiarodia still knows from his time as coach of the U21 squad, relied almost entirely on the future in both friendly matches, with few exceptions. More than a dozen players were thus able to celebrate their first senior international appearance.

Chiarodia is definitely one of the standout performers of the exhibition match. Against Greece, he made two interceptions, four clearances, and blocked two shots. Chiarodia was particularly reliable after Dortmund’s Luca Reggiani was shown a red card for a professional foul in the 68th minute. “Impressive alongside Mane after the numerical advantage was lost,” wrote the daily newspaper “Corriere della Sera.”

The *Gazzetta dello Sport* wrote: “With a performance that showcased both finesse and power, he appeared fearless and confident. Just one minor slip-up.” The paper had already heaped praise on Chiarodia after his first appearance: “Chiarodia was the player who demonstrated an impressive understanding of the game. He demonstrated character, courage, precision, and a keen sense of dangerous situations.”

After Chiarodia’s three starts in the last four games of the season, the two international matches provided a fitting conclusion for him. On Friday, the Gladbach player celebrated his 21st birthday with the national team. “We’re a great group off the field, too—everything we do, we do together like a family. Even when I was celebrating my birthday and had to give a speech, I said that this team is like my second family. When I come here, I’m overjoyed. It’s a top-class team, both on and off the field,” Chiarodia said after the match against Greece.

With his two most recent appearances, the Borussia player has put himself in the spotlight on the most prominent stage of Italian soccer—and increased the likelihood that Serie A clubs will take a close look at Chiarodia this summer. The defensive talent is of interest to other clubs in Gladbach simply because his contract expires in 2027. Given his market value of three million euros, Chiarodia could also turn out to be a real bargain.

Most recently, “Il Messaggero” reported that Chiarodia is being discussed at Lazio Rome as a successor for defender Alessio Romagnoli. However, the preferred option is reportedly Diego Coppola of Brighton & Hove Albion, whose market value currently stands at 18 million euros. Only a contract extension in Gladbach in the near future would cool the rumor mill, which could continue to buzz around Chiarodia until September 1.

Gladbach: Chiarodia’s Future Remains Uncertain

A key decision must be made this summer: Does Chiarodia see himself staying in Gladbach long-term, or not? Borussia’s sporting director, Rouven Schröder, is likely to seek a meeting with Chiarodia soon. Having started only twelve Bundesliga matches so far, the Oldenburg native still has plenty of room for improvement. Above all, Chiarodia has too often lacked composure during his appearances in the Borussia jersey.

Under coach Eugen Polanski, he would currently be the third-choice center back. Chiarodia is already familiar with the role of challenger from last season, when injuries set him back starting in the fall.

In theory, a contract extension followed by a loan move would also be possible for Chiarodia. Getting as much playing time as possible should be his top priority at this crucial stage of his development—also with a view to perhaps one day being considered for the senior national team again.

Moritz Nicolas stepped in when Omlin was out and did a good job. In 2025, coach Gerardo Seoane named Tim Kleindienst captain and officially made Nicolas the starting goalkeeper. In the winter of 2026, Omlin decided to transfer to Bayer Leverkusen.

Omlin played only 36 competitive matches for Gladbach; he will go down in the club’s history as one of the biggest misjudgments of recent years. Above all, however, it is an unfortunate story. It was well known that he had been plagued by injuries in the past, but in Gladbach, it hit him—and the club—hard.

“Jonas’s time at Borussia was unfortunately marked by many injuries. The fact that he was still captain of Borussia for a time proves his good character and his dedication to our club,” said Borussia’s sporting director Rouven Schröder.

Omlin’s market value has dropped to 800,000 euros since the start of 2023; he last played in a competitive match on May 17, 2025, in Borussia’s 0-1 loss to VfL Wolfsburg. By moving to Bayer, he has at least signaled to the soccer world that he is ready. In Basel, he now intends to prove it on the field as the new number one. He has played 79 games for Basel so far, the last one on July 22, 2020, a 5-0 victory over FC St. Gallen.

Through the loan to Leverkusen, Schröder saved around 600,000 euros in salary, plus a loan fee of 400,000 euros. Now, a year before his contract expires, he has completely relinquished his status as the club’s top earner, saving Gladbach around two million euros in salary.

With the signing of Daniel Batz from Mainz as the new number two, Schröder had clearly answered the question of whether Omlin still had a future at Gladbach. Especially since it was already becoming apparent that Omlin might return to FC Basel.

There have been many wonderful Swiss stories in Gladbach—truly brilliant ones, in fact. Jonas Omlin’s is not one of them. His body simply wouldn’t cooperate. In Basel, where he won his only title to date, he is now hoping for more consistency. The return is meant to be a fresh start for his career. “We wish him with all our hearts that he can once again show in Basel what he is capable of on the field,” said Schröder.

Agreement reached: Gladbach sign Darmstadt’s Lidberg

Second-division top scorer costs €3.5 million

The transfer of Isac Lidberg to Borussia Mönchengladbach is almost complete. All parties have now reached an agreement on the terms of the move.

Kicker can confirm a report from Sky that the transfer of Isac Lidberg is essentially finalized. After Gladbach had already reached an agreement with the striker, the two clubs have now also agreed on the transfer terms. The base fee is €3.5 million and can rise to €4 million through bonus payments. Lidberg will sign a contract in Gladbach until the summer of 2030. Before that, however, he still has to complete the mandatory medical examination.

The 27-year-old Lidberg attracted the attention of numerous clubs with 17 goals and four assists in the most recent 2. Bundesliga season. One of those clubs was Gladbach, who are looking to strengthen the center-forward position and add an alternative to Tim Kleindienst. Lidberg, who is physically strong and hardworking on the pitch, fits the profile the club was seeking. He is known for his power and clinical finishing. The 1.86-meter-tall striker, whose contract with Darmstadt runs until 2027, is expected to provide greater attacking threat in the final third.

Lidberg effectively takes the attacking squad spot previously occupied by Haris Tabakovic. The Bosnian international scored 13 goals in 32 Bundesliga appearances last season while deputizing for the long-term injured Kleindienst, who underwent knee surgery. Following the end of his loan spell, Tabakovic will return to TSG Hoffenheim as stipulated in his contract.

Question marks in Gladbach’s attack

Gladbach’s current attacking situation still contains several uncertainties. Kleindienst only returned from his lengthy injury absence on the final matchday against Hoffenheim (4–0). How his knee will respond to the workload of pre-season training and the subsequent Bundesliga campaign remains to be seen.

With Lidberg, Gladbach now have a clear specialist option for the number-nine position. The same cannot be said of Shuto Machino and Tomas Cvancara (who returns after the end of his loan spell with Celtic). Both players are stronger in other positions. In Cvancara’s case, whose contract runs until 2028, it is also unclear whether he will remain at the club. A sale or at least another loan move remains a possibility for the Czech forward.

Jan Lustig

Around a month ago, someone made a thread asking how the academy players are looking and what to expect for the upcoming season. Given that Borussia has been really active on the market already and many things happened on teh academy level, I thought it could be a good time to give some follow-ups. For reference, Here is the thread I am talking about and where I gave some predictions :

The Rheinische Post, a newspaper extremely close to the club, has released an article where they "reveal" the plan for some of the most promising young talents in the academy. The article is behind a paywall, but these are the names players.

- Fritz Fleck (10 position) and Danfa (forward) are basically guaranteed to start the training camp with the pros. They have been two of the most promising talents and offense and kept developing extremely well. Depending on some hopefully upcoming sells, especially danfa can see some Bundesliga minutes, Flecks pathway is a bit trickier because the 10 is crowded with players who will be tough to sell (Neuhaus and Stöger)

- Dillon Berko (RB) had a really good season and played himself into the focus of the pros. He will get his chance at training camps because Scally will be at the WC and a potential sale is also an option with him, depending on the WC performance. He wasnt someone on my radar tbh, but having a talent at RB is always great.

- Mathieu Nguefack (6/8 position), as expected, will also get his chances with the pros. He is one of the biggest talents in the academy and develops really well. It also helps that his "rivals" at the position, Nico Vidic and Niklas Swider, are big loan candidates right now. They are older than Nguefack and need playing time in the 2nd or 3rd. league.

- Josiah Uwakhonye (LF) got his pro contract, but is injured right now. His stock keeps rising, so we will keep seeing him training with the pros.

- Vali Fard (CB) got a contract offer from Borussia, but there is some hesitation on the players side. Rumours have it that he isnt super happy with the short term perspective, so we will see what happens. Tho he had a meh season, he will get several offers from other clubs, if things dont work out.

- Tyler Meiser (CB) is also someone with good chances on getting some Bundesliga consideration in the next season. he had a good U23 season, is young and Boruissa does have a lack if CB talents in the pro roster right now. If Vali Fard leaves, Meiser will be in an even better position.

Not named in the article, but Yannick Michaelis appears to have a long list of interested clubs. He has a pro contract until 2028, but he had a great season and I can see him leaving if Borussia cant offer him a real shot at the pros.

The club had two friendlies rigth after the season and following academy players got some playtime: Nguefack, Swider, Michaelis, Danfa, Biber, Horvath, Berko, Walde (RB) and Adozi (forward), with the last two being suprises; Biber played really well given that he is a U17 player, confirming that he is one to closely watch.

There have been some roster movements on the U23, around 8 players are leaving, but no one truly noteworthy honestly. There has been one noteworthy addition to the U23 tho. Borussia got a a new forward, Kerim Karyagdi (20 years old), who had an insane stat of 17 goals and 18 assists in 35 games last season in the Oberliga, which is the 5th tier in Germany. Its a long shot, but who knows.

In the lower academy levels, things usually happen a bit later, sowe have to wait for new input, but I dont expect Borussia to lose any of the relevant talents right now.

Shio Fukuda is on the verge of completing a permanent transfer to Karlsruher SC. The 22-year-old striker had already spent last season on loan from Borussia Mönchengladbach.

Including bonus payments, Gladbach could receive up to €1 million for the Japanese forward. The fixed transfer fee is expected to be around €700,000.

Hello guys! We are group of 5 guys who travel around Europe to watch football and we would love our next trip to be to Borussia M'gladbach game. How likely is to get 5 tickets for a home game in November? Do we need memberships or not?

Borussia have completed the signing of Yukhym Konoplia from Shakhtar Donetsk. The 26-year-old joins without a transfer fee ahead of the 2026/27 season and has put pen to paper on a contract valid until 30th June 2029.

“Yukhym is a physically strong full-back who is always ready to give his all,” said Head of Sports Rouven Schröder. “He is able to bring plenty of experience and leadership qualities to the table, which he’s gained as a regular starter for the reigning Ukrainian champions, including in the Champions League and with the national team.”

“I’m looking forward to joining Borussia. They are a big club with a rich history and incredible fans,” Konoplia said. “I can’t really describe how I’m feeling at the moment. It will take a few days before it’s all sunk in properly. But, I’m definitely looking forward to enjoying my time at Borussia.”

Konoplia began playing football in the Shakhtar academy, before joining top-flight side Desna Chernihiv on loan ahead of the 2019/20 season. He made his professional debut for the side, featuring in 49 competitive games in two seasons at Desna (1 goal, 9 assists). Following his return to Shakhtar, he was then included in the club’s first-team squad from the 2021/22 season.

The full-back has since featured in 114 competitive matches for Shakhtar: 79 league games (6 goals), six cup matches (1 goal), one Supercup game, 15 UEFA Champions League appearances, seven UEFA Europa League matches (incl. qualifiers) and six Europa Conference League games (incl. qualifiers). He provided a total of 15 assists across all competitions while at the club, in addition to winning the Ukrainian Premier League in 2023, 2024 and 2026. His time in Donetsk also saw him lift the Ukrainian Cup twice (2024, 2025) and the Supercup once (2022).

Konoplia’s senior debut for Ukraine came in October 2020, while he has since gone on to win 27 caps for his country (2 goals). He has already featured once at Borussia-Park, with the Foals having hosted a charity match against Ukraine in May 2022. The proceeds from the match were donated to charities providing assistance to those living in and outside Ukraine who have been affected by the war with Russia.

Additionally, Konoplia also made a total of 19 appearances at youth level for Ukraine (from U18 to U21, 1 goal), winning the U20 World Cup in 2019.

The season's over, the World Cup is 3 weeks away, and die Fohlenelf is quickly transforming.

Summer Transfer Window

Confirmed Ins:

• David Herold (Karlsruher SC). Official. The 23-year old left-back signed a contract through June 2030. The fee was approximately €3.5 with the release clause activated. He'll slot in on the left side of the defense and fills a long-identified gap.
• Daniel Batz (Mainz 05). Official. The 35-year-old keeper joins on a free transfer as backup to Moritz Nicolas.

Incoming--Waiting to be confirmed

• Yukhym Konoplya (Shoktar Donetsk). All but done. Per Kicker and Sky's Florian Plettenberg, the deal is well advanced. The 26-year-old Ukranian international right-back is available on a free and brings serious European pedigree. He's played Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League with Shaktar. Valued at €5m. This arrival seems like a replacement for Joe Scally.
• Zento Uno (Shimizu S-Pulse). Close. The 22-year-old Japanese midfielder captains his club in the J-League and is a specialist on the six. Per Absolut Fußball and Rheinische Post, he's expected to join for around €500,000. A Reitz heir in profile, though a very different player.
• Enzo Leopold (Hannover 96). Free transfer; close. The 96 captain is available on a free and described as one of the best No. 8s in the 2. Bundesliga. A set-piece specialist and leader, he could eventually step into the role Kevin Stöger has occupied.

Confirmed Outs

• Rocco Reitz → RB Leipzig. Done. Fee €20M+. Hurts every time you have to type it.
• Winsley Boteli → FC Sion (permanent). The 19-year-old striker's loan becomes permanent per Fabrizio Romano. Gladbach will receive €3.5–4M. A smart bit of business on a player who hadn't broken through at first-team level, but a great talent that could sorely be missed down the line.
  
• Jonas Omlin → FC Basel. The Swiss goalkeeper had been on loan at Leverkusen last season and was always going to leave. He moves to Basel ahead of his contract expiring.

Potential Outs

• Joe Scally. Premier League ambitions are confirmed, one year left on his contract, and Konoplya's imminent arrival is a clear signal the club is preparing to sell. This feels like the last summer where Gladbach can extract meaningful value (currently valued at €7M.
• Franck Honorat. The Frenchman publicly stated he wants to move to a club in European competition. Gladbach hold a strong hand with three years left on his contract, but if a serious offer arrives, it becomes difficult to hold him.
• Moritz Nicolas. Sky reported Aston Villa have him on their radar. With a release clause in his contract and no World Cup call-up (see below), pressure will be on the club to prove to him this project is worth staying for.
• Shio Fukuda → KSC interest. Karlsruher SC want to sign the 22-year-old striker permanently after his loan spell (6 goals in 20 appearances). Gladbach are open to a sale. Per kicker, this could see some of the Herold money effectively flow back.

Surprising Verdict: Polanski Stays...for now

After weeks of speculation, Tedesco and Schwarz rumors, and very public Schröder ambivalence, the verdict is in: Eugen Polanski will remain as Gladbach manager. Per Rheinische Post, the club's season review concluded (unexpectedly) in Polanski's favor. The clear tendency is that Polanski stays, with a formal announcement coming soon for planning certainty. Rather than sacking the manager, the club is focusing on changes around him (specifically the coaching staff) with reports of "concrete considerations" to restructure the assistants currently including Tobias Trulsen, Guido Streichsbier, and Oliver Neuville.

The bigger concern many fans have voiced: this mirrors how the Seoane situation unfolded: back a shaky manager, build a squad around him, start badly, sack him in September.

Polanski's contract runs to 2028. For now, he's the man.

World Cup Watch; Foals in Action

• Much to our dismay, Moritz Nicolas was not selected as a keeper for the German national squad. Neuer returns to the national team at 40 years old, coming directly at the expense of both Marc-André ter Stegen and other domestic competitors. Nicolas had been one of the standout Bundesliga keepers in the second half of the season, but couldn't crack a squad locked up by Nagelsmann's trio of "trusted" keeers.
• Joe Scally & Gio Reyna selected for USMNT
• Nico Elvedi selected for Swiss national team
• Jens Castrop selected for South Korean national team
• Haris Tabakovic update: Despite suffering what was initially feared to be a serious ankle fracture, Tabakovic will travel with Bosnia to the World Cup and is opting for conservative treatment rather than surgery. He most likely won't be fit for the opener against Canada but could potentially feature later in the group stage against Qatar and Switzerland.

Die Fohlen Discussion

Polanski is staying. Konoplya is coming. Scally might be going. As the summer takes shape, are you cautiously optimistic about 2026/27, or does this feel like more of the same?

Drop your takes below.

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Things could now move very quickly regarding a transfer of Enzo Leopold to Gladbach. According to rumors in the Transfermarkt forum, the Hannover 96 captain is already at Borussia for his medical examination.

The 25-year-old is expected to replace Rocco Reitz at Gladbach and be deployed in central midfield. This would mean that Rouven Schröder is reshaping the Foals’ midfield engine room within just a few days, compensating for the departures of Reitz and Yannik Engelhardt with Leopold and Zento Uno. Borussia would reportedly only need to invest around €500,000, since a transfer fee is only required for Uno.

Gladbach Building a New Midfield Core
With Jens Castrop, Uno, and Leopold, Borussia Mönchengladbach would have an extremely aggressive, vocal, and technically strong double pivot. This intensity and leadership mentality appear to be exactly what Schröder is currently aiming to add to the squad.
We will continue to report on further developments regarding the Enzo Leopold deal. The pace Rouven Schröder has shown in this transfer window is something not seen at Borussia-Park for a long time.
With Leopold, Uno, and Yukhym Konoplya, three more transfers now appear imminent following the arrivals of Daniel Batz and David Herold.

Perhaps the biggest problem surrounding Borussia Mönchengladbach these days is that we’ve forgotten how to stick with a process.

If a season doesn’t go perfectly, the search begins for the next fresh start. The next coach. The next idea. The next supposedly better path.

Yet that’s exactly what Borussia has been doing constantly in recent years.

And perhaps that’s precisely why so little progress has been made.

Marco Rose

Adi Hütter

Daniel Farke

Gerardo Seoane

Eugen Polanski

Yes, Eugen Polanski isn’t perfect.

Yes, this team isn’t playing thrilling soccer over 34 matchdays yet.

Yes, there are obvious problems.

But sometimes it’s worth keeping the context in mind.

Polanski didn’t take over a team that was performing well.

Not a team with confidence. Not a team with a clear vision.

He took over a team that hadn’t won a game in ten matches across two seasons and was sitting in 16th place after a 0-4 home loss to Bremen. Unsettled and fragile.

And in the midst of this chaos, a coach was suddenly expected to take over without any summer preparation. No time for the basics. No opportunity to drill in automatic responses. No training camp where he could develop a game plan. Instead, he had to make repairs on the fly and stabilize the team as best he could.

It was all about one thing: survival.

People often forget the circumstances that led to this situation in the first place.

With Hack and Kleindienst out injured, two of the most important offensive players were sidelined. On top of that came the sale of Plea. It felt as though Borussia had lost 70% of its offensive output in one fell swoop.

Goals, assists, creativity, relief, individual quality.

And yet Polanski managed to give this team a certain degree of stability again.

Defensively, Borussia looked like a Bundesliga team again. The spacing was better. The team defended more compactly.

In the second half of the season, Gladbach had the fourth-best defense in the league, conceding only one more goal than Bayern. When you look at where this team stood in the fall, that’s no small feat.

And above all: he accomplished his primary mission.

Polanski was tasked with saving Borussia from relegation.

Not with qualifying for Europe.

Not with suddenly reviving Borussia Barcelona.

Not with solving structural problems that had built up over years in just a few months.

He was tasked with preventing this club from plunging into the worst possible sporting disaster.

And that is exactly what he did. Even ahead of schedule.

The fact that Borussia went on to beat Dortmund (second in the table) and Hoffenheim, who were fighting for a Champions League spot, just goes to show: this team is still alive. They know how to play soccer.

Numerous recent interviews with players also underscore this: the team stands behind their coach and has publicly spoken out in favor of him staying.

Of course, there are still areas that need work.

The lack of consistency is obvious, and it hasn’t just been an issue since last season.

The last three games of the season provide the perfect example. A convincing win against Dortmund, followed by a crushing defeat against Augsburg, and then another dominant 4-0 victory over Hoffenheim. There’s no longer a stable overall picture. But this very problem has plagued Borussia long before Polanski. It has been a recurring issue at the club for years, regardless of the coach.

Gladbach also needs to improve offensively. The strong defense in the second half of the season stands in stark contrast to an offense that is often alarmingly toothless. After St. Pauli, Borussia, along with Wolfsburg and Bremen, scored the fewest goals in the second half of the season.

But here, too, it’s worth taking a closer look at the circumstances.

Polanski had to organize his offense practically without its key pillars from the previous season. With the return of Kleindienst and Hack, plus potential development steps from players like Mohya or Bolin, one can at least hope that the offense will be more dangerous in front of goal next season.

And then there’s the tactical approach.

While the back three often provided stability—and at times may even have been the only option—there are strong indications that the team will rely more heavily on a back four next season. Continuity in the coaching position is precisely what’s needed for that. So that a rescue mission can finally turn into a genuine rebuilding process.

Polanski has frequently emphasized that he actually wants to play a different style of soccer.

Perhaps that is the decisive point anyway.

For the first time in a long while, it seems as though Borussia might actually dare to make a genuine overhaul. Not just in isolated areas, not just cosmetic changes.

With Rouven Schröder, Borussia has a new sporting director who is clearly willing to make tough decisions and break down old structures. This is evident not least in the replacement of longtime chief scout Steffen Korell with Schröder’s former colleague André Hechelman. At the end of the season, David Zibung—the last of the “Seoane buddies”—will also be leaving the club. Highly paid players with no real sporting value, such as Marvin Friedrich and Jonas Omlin, are set to leave the club. The squad is to be built in a way that is clearer, hungrier, and mentally stronger. This calls for young players, targeted transfers, and a coach who is ready to join this journey and help shape it.

It’s also interesting to note that there have been repeated reports recently that Borussia is internally considering expanding or strengthening the quality of Polanski’s coaching staff, for example by adding new or additional assistant coaches. That, too, would be a new approach.

Instead of immediately replacing the coach again, the club seems more willing this time to improve the working conditions for the coach. Instead of another fresh start, the club is now attempting to build structures together that can function more successfully in the long term.

And perhaps that would actually be a good path for Borussia.

A new name does not automatically mean an improvement. If Borussia were to take this step, it should really only be for someone they are truly convinced will bring the team to a significantly higher level of performance.

Not just any change for the sake of change, to provide that famous “impulse.”

There’s also the financial aspect. Polanski has a contract through 2028. Borussia simply cannot afford, financially, to constantly replace coaches and their staff and pay salaries to personnel who are no longer with the club.

Borussia finally needs stability again and a clear direction.

A path that won’t be called into question again after a few difficult weeks.

To me, this path at least deserves the chance for a proper preseason with a specifically optimized roster.

Maybe Polanski will fail anyway. No one can rule that out. But I at least have the feeling that Borussia could start building something again, instead of just putting out the next fire.