At SG Wattenscheid 09, the squad reorganization continues in the winter. The fifth player is now leaving the Lohrheide and moving to Essen.

Around Christmas and the turn of the year, it was not particularly quiet and contemplative at SG Wattenscheid 09.

In order to avoid relegation from the Oberliga Westfalen, the squad needs to be significantly restructured. And that’s exactly what head coach Engin Yavuzaslan and sporting director Hartmut Fahnenstich have done.

The bottom-placed team in the Oberliga Westfalen has already announced four new signings: Umut Yilidz, Niklas Lübcke, Nico Thier (all from TuS Bövinghausen) and Maurice Haar (KFC Uerdingen).

Meanwhile, the two goalkeepers Lars Holm and Ahmed Kulalic, as well as defensive midfielder Martins Williams and offensive player Karoj Sindi, have terminated their contracts at the Lohrheide. These will not be the last departures. According to information from RS, Blerton Muharremi and Yutaro Ichimura have also been informed that they no longer have a role to play under coach Yavuzaslan.

Nico Lucas moves to Essen’s Uhlenkrug

The situation was somewhat different for Nico Lucas. This is because the 26-year-old was not one of the players who was suggested a winter transfer. However, according to our information, Lucas proactively sought a conversation with the sporting management. He wanted to leave Wattenscheid and is doing so.

As Forecasting has learned, the midfielder, who last led the Wattenscheid team out on the pitch as captain, is moving to ETB Schwarz-Weiß Essen in the Oberliga Niederrhein. An official confirmation from the clubs is expected soon. Lucas had several offers from other Oberliga and Regionalliga teams, but ultimately decided to move to his hometown.

With Lucas, ETB coach Damian Apfeld gets an experienced man. Lucas has a total of 124 games in the Regionalliga West and 40 appearances in the Oberliga Westfalen. He is considered a real leader and role model. The son of Jürgen Lucas, once U19 coach and sporting director at Rot-Weiss Essen, has also been under contract with Südwest-Regionalliga club VfR Aalen and Regionalliga West representatives Rot Weiss Ahlen, in addition to RWE and Wattenscheid. Now he is making his debut in the Oberliga Niederrhein at ETB Schwarz-Weiß Essen.