Hoffenheim still looking to move Dennis Geiger, Florian Grillitsch, and Mërgim Berisha | OneFootball

Kicker reports that versatile German midfielder Dennis Geiger has joined the list of expendables at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim. The 27-year-old – a vocal critic of Hoffenheim’s transfer moves last season – remains absent from training camp despite being fit for selection. Geiger also hasn’t made any of the pre-season friendly matchday squads.

Geiger was once a €13m prospect with German national team prospects. Despite being capped heavily at Germany U21 level and below, however, the Mosbach-native never earned a German senior team call up. At present, Geiger maintains only a €2m estimated market value. It’s unclear as to whether die Kraichgauer can find a taker for him.

Geiger, midfielder Florian Grillitsch, and striker Mërgim Berisha are now the three remaining players on the TSG “cut list”. Club sporting director Andreas Schciker and staff have shed five players from the 39-man-squad they entered the current month with. Exits for Geiger, Grillitsch, and Berisha will get the squad down to a manageable 31 players.

Anton Stach (sold to Leeds) and Haris Tabakovic (loaned with a €750,000 fee to Borussia Mönchengladbach) have generated a combined €20.75m in revenue. Attila Szalai (Kasimpasa), Erencan Yardımcı (Eintracht Braunschweig), and Stanley Nsoki (Union Berlin) were all loaned without fees.

Kicker reports that Grillitsch and Berisha have both turned down offers from Turkey. Despite the fact that he used to play in the Süper Lig, Berisha wishes to remain closer to home. Some tepid interest in Berisha from Hertha BSC evaporated once the Berliners signed Bremen’s Dawid Kownacki.

Geiger counts as the most surprising casualty. Berisha and Grillitsch hardly featured last year. The former ran afoul with his teammates long ago while the latter was bluntly told be head coach Christian Ilzer that he had no future in Sinsheim. Geiger made 25 competitive appearances for the TSG last season.

Some years back, Geiger found himself targeted by Eintracht Frankfurt. Benfica and Everton were also once rumored to be interested in securing Geiger’s services. One assumes that, at the very least, German lower division sides might be interested in a loan out.

GGFN | Peter Weis