As in every year, transfers and contract extensions of players are in the focus of interest during this summer break. RS takes a look at the interim standings.
At the end of a turbulent 2022/2023 Bundesliga season, all women’s Bundesliga teams from NRW were able to celebrate staying in the league. While the players are taking well-deserved holidays or preparing for the World Cup, the squad planners of the clubs began the hot transfer phase a few days ago. The West Bundesliga clubs have announced the following players so far.
Bayer Leverkusen
By reaching 5th place, the Bayer women were the most successful Bundesliga team from NRW in the 2022/2023 season. The club would like to continue this success story in the coming season with players from its own junior team. In addition to Sofia Cava Marin, who will make the leap from the second team to the Bundesliga team, Delice Boboy, freshly crowned German U-17 champion, was also given her first professional contract.
In addition, external newcomers strengthen coach Robert de Pauw’s team. Synne Skinnes Hansen, a Norwegian national player, joins the team from Rosenborg Trondheim as a wing specialist. The club has also strengthened its team with Paulina Bartz (Eimsbütteler TV) and Loreen Bender (Eintracht Frankfurt).
In addition to record-breaking player Anna Klink (FC Basel) and top scorer Milena Nikolic (destination unknown), Lisanne Gräwe (Eintracht Frankfurt), Annika Enderle (SGS Essen), Dina Blagojevic, Chiara Bücher (both destination unknown) and Ivana F. Fuso (end of loan) will no longer play for Bayer in the coming season.
SGS Essen
SGS Essen, the last remaining all-women’s club in the Bundesliga following Turbine Potsdam’s relegation, will enter their 20th season in the German top flight in the 2023/2024 season. In doing so, those responsible in Essen are consistently continuing their philosophy of relying on young players from their own youth. As the club announced, goalkeeper Pia Lucassen and attacking power Melina Walheim, two ambitious seventeen-year-old national U-players, will be signed for the Bundesliga squad.
It has also been known for some time that striker Vivien Endemann will be leaving SGS for Wolfsburg, defender Nina Räcke will be moving to league newcomer RB Leipzig and Antonia Baaß and Miriam Hils will also be leaving. The departures are to be compensated by Annika Enderle (Bayer Leverkusen) and the Austrian talents Valentina Kröll and Lilli Purtscheller (both SK Sturm Graz).
1. FC Cologne
After a season that had some highlights in store for the Cologne women but did not go according to plan overall, things are set to pick up again in 2023/2024. The Geißböcke will have to do without goalkeeper Manon Klett (career end), Ally Gudorf (SC Freiburg), Weronika Zawistowska (loan end), Myrthe Moorrees (Fortuna Sittard), Jana Beuschlein (destination unknown) and former German international Mandy Islacker (career end).
Anna Gerhardt (Turbine Potsdam) will return to the FC after a seven-year absence. Laura Vogt and Marleen Schimmer, players from the club’s own junior squad, have signed their first professional contracts. The position on the sidelines is still vacant in Cologne. After the departure of Sascha Glass, divisional director Nicole Bender-Rummler and U17 junior coach Nico Reese took over on an interim basis.
MSV Duisburg
Things got really tight for the Zebras at the end of the 2022/2023 season. In the end, a one-point lead over relegated SV Meppen was enough to keep them in the league. That should be more relaxed next year.
However, five players – Selina Vobian, Gloria Adigo, Sarina Heeb, Melissa Ugochukwu and Kari Närdemann (all destinations unknown) – will no longer be playing for the Meiderich club. MSV, on the other hand, has not yet presented any new players.
Coach Thomas Gerstner, who took over from Nico and Walter Schneck in the course of the season, is also still unclear. He had initially only signed until the end of the rest of the season and successfully kept the league with the Zebras.