📞 Bundesliga club in trouble? These free agents could boost your team | OneFootball

The 2025/26 Bundesliga season is already six matchdays old. But the winter transfer window is still far off. So what do you do when players go down injured or new signings disappoint?

On the market of unattached professionals, there are plenty of players who have already operated in the highest spheres of football. Reason enough to play scout and pick out a few guys for your club.

Renan Lodi (most recently Al-Hilal)

Current market value: 13 million euros

Renan Lodi is at the perfect age for a footballer. The 27-year-old left-back had his best spell so far mainly at Atlético Madrid and at times played at an elite level under Simeone.

At his last club Al-Hilal, however, Lodi was left out after numerous summer signings and sued to terminate his contract at the end of August. He could likely compensate for his recent lack of game time at a Bundesliga club with his experience from 27 Champions League appearances.

📸 Alex Grimm - 2025 Getty Images

Possible Bundesliga clubs: Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Bayer 04 Leverkusen (each as a back-up)

Takehiro Tomiyasu (most recently Arsenal)

Current market value: 18 million euros

He played Champions League, Serie A, and over 60 times for Arsenal in the best league in the world. Takehiro Tomiyasu looked set to become a top-class center-back. At the Gunners, however, the 26-year-old was hampered by numerous injuries. Due to knee problems, Japan’s international missed almost the entire last season — and ultimately ended up without a club.

📸 Clive Rose - 2024 Getty Images

Will Werder be knocking soon? The Hanseatics currently have enormous injury problems in defense and, with new signing Yukinari Sugawara, would have a possible lure on board. The two have already played together numerous times for Japan.

A move to Union Berlin is also possible, where the defense could use support and where Diogo Leite, an important defender, could leave next summer.

Possible Bundesliga clubs: Werder Bremen, Union Berlin, Eintracht Frankfurt, Borussia Dortmund (if Can remains injured for longer)

Josh Dasilva (most recently Brentford FC)

Current market value: 6 million euros

Similar to Tomiyasu, a stubborn knee injury recently kept Josh Dasilva from a promising Premier League career. BUT: At just 26, the central midfielder is in his prime and could give his career a new boost in the Bundesliga.

Possible Bundesliga clubs: Gladbach, Heidenheim, Augsburg, Werder Bremen, Mainz 05

Paco Alcácer (most recently Sharjah FC)

Current market value: 3 million euros

All Dortmund fans should know him very well. Paco Alcácer had the Bundesliga on the edge of its seat in 2018/19 when he scored eleven goals in his first ten league games. In that season, the center-forward also set the Bundesliga record for most goals as a substitute — within a single season.

📸 Jörg Schüler - 2019 Getty Images

Even if, at 32, Alcácer no longer has the level for a BVB return, smaller Bundesliga clubs in particular could more than use an Alcácer coming off the bench.

Possible Bundesliga clubs: Augsburg, Heidenheim, Mainz 05, St. Pauli

Hakim Ziyech (most recently Al-Duhail SC)

Current market value: 4.5 million euros

Hakim Ziyech operated at an absolute top level, especially for Ajax Amsterdam. After his move to Chelsea, the attacking midfielder even won the Champions League in 2021 before heading to the desert via Galatasaray. At 32, the Moroccan is currently a free agent — but maybe not for long. Bundesliga clubs in need of creativity should take a look.

Possible Bundesliga clubs: Gladbach, Augsburg, Union Berlin, Stuttgart (more likely from the bench)

If your Bundesliga club can’t reach an agreement with these players due to differing salary expectations, we still have an ace up our sleeve. May we introduce:

Mario Balotelli (most recently Genoa)

The former star striker who traumatized all of Germany at Euro 2012 is currently, by his own account, “desperately looking for a new club.” Sure, he’s a bit of a scandal-prone pro, at 35 no spring chicken, and smokes a cig from time to time. BUT: It would be freaking Mario Balotelli.

In Augsburg, where they’re “desperately seeking more attention,” he could help Sandro Wagner heat up the media buzz. Or, of course, finally get a smaller club into the papers.

As a marketing campaign alone, the guy would be worth his weight in gold — and the Heidenheim faithful would still be telling their great-grandchildren about it...

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.

📸 Alexander Hassenstein - 2009 Getty Images