Borussia Mönchengladbach loses a true homegrown player. After 14 years at the club, the U23 regular is moving to Austria.

Eugen Polanski and Borussia Mönchengladbach’s U23s will have to do without a regular player of recent years in the upcoming Regionalliga West season. For Conor Noß, the chapter with the Foals is over for the time being after 14 years. The 22-year-old is moving to FC Blau-Weiß Linz.

The native of Düsseldorf with Irish roots was active at Borussia since the U9s, went through the entire youth department and even made it to the Bundesliga. “Conor is a true homegrown,” Gladbach’s sports director Roland Virkus emphasised in a press release. “With the jersey of his Bundesliga debut, he is rightly immortalised in the dressing room corridor.”

In November 2021, the then 20-year-old, who can be deployed in both central and attacking midfield, as well as on both flanks and as a hanging point, was given his first run for the professionals. The variable attacking player made his debut in the 4:0 win against SpVgg Greuther Fürth. Further joker appearances followed against 1. FSV Mainz 05 (1:1) and SC Freiburg (3:3).

No professional appearance in 2022/23

In the past season, however, he only made four squad nominations under Daniel Farke, in each of which he remained on the bench. Things went much better for the U23s, where he was usually a starter – when fit and not in the professional squad. He made 23 appearances and scored six goals, finishing in a strong third place.

In total, Noß made 72 appearances for the U23s in four seasons and scored eight goals. “Now he wants to be used every week at professional level, which is why he decided to move to Linz,” Virkus explained the reason for the switch.

Speaking to FC Blau-Weiß Linz, who celebrated the Austrian second-division championship last season, the newcomer says: “The challenge of developing myself in a new country and environment spurs me on a lot.” Noß signs a contract with the Austrians until 2025 with an option for a further year.