Augsburg to give disaffected German striker Mërgim Berisha (27) a third chance? | OneFootball

Florian Plettenberg reports that FC Augsburg are once again considering acquiring Hoffenheim striker Mërgim Berisha during the January transfer window. The Fuggerstädter remain desperate for a natural No. 9 capable of producing goals. Thus far this season, center forwards Philipp Tietz and Samuel Essende have rarely started up top and only produced one Bundesliga goal apiece. 

Both Tietz and Essende are linked with moves away from the club. Berisha continues to play zero role for Hoffenheim, not even making head coach Christian Ilzer’s matchday squad once since being relegated to the reserves earlier this season.

\Berisha spent the second half of last season on loan at Augsburg, but only made three of then head coach Jess Thorup’s FCA squads. Berisha logged only 38 minutes of action in two substitute appearances. 

What happened to Mërgim Berisha?

A 2022/23 Bundesliga campaign during which the native Bavarian scored nine goals and registered four assists for Enrico Maaßen’s FCA led to Augsburg signing Berisha permanently from his loan club Fenerbahçe. Berisha managed to raise his estimated market value from €4.5m to €12m during that highly successful season in the German top flight. He also earned two German national team caps under Hansi Flick that summer. 

Augsburg purchased Berisha permanently for €4m, yet couldn’t resist the pull of Hoffenheim as the 2023/24 season got underway. The Bavarian Swabians quickly ‘flipped’ Berisha via a €14m sale to the Kraichgauer. Unfortunately, Berisha was never able to secure a regular starting role under then head coach Pellegrino Matarazzo. A brutal ACL tear in November then sidelined him for the rest of the year. 

Berisha never got back into Matarazzo’s good graces and was famously left off the squad following a training ground dust-up with the American head coach. Ilzer found himself equally unimpressed with Berisha’s attitude and Thorup did not like the effort he witnessed from Berisha in training. Berisha’s reputation as a difficult personality was further enhanced this summer by his rejection of offers from 2. Bundesliga sides such as Hertha BSC.

Berisha hasn’t played for Hoffenheim II in the 3. Liga this year and has seen his estimated market value drop to €2.5m in the October transfermarkt update. At his peak in October 2023, Berisha was considered a €14m-valued player. In total, Berisha has 10 German top flight goals to his credit. He’s also scored a total of eight goals in European competitions whilst representing Turkish and Austrian clubs.

GGFN | Peter Weis