Cologne close in on Mikey Moore loan, Borna Sosa emerges as late transfer option | OneFootball

Cologne are closing in on the long-awaited signing of Tottenham Hotspur youngster Mikey Moore while simultaneously considering former VfB Stuttgart wing-back Borna Sosa as another potential late-window reinforcement. Moore is expected to undergo his medical on Monday after Tottenham finally granted approval for the 19-year-old to complete his move to the Bundesliga. The England youth international will join the cathedral city club on a season-long loan without a purchase option.

Cologne persistence pays off in Moore pursuit

Cologne have pursued Moore throughout August despite Tottenham reconsidering whether to allow the highly rated attacker to depart. The 19-year-old had already agreed to the move, but his involvement with Tottenham during the opening weeks of the new season prompted De Zerbi to consider keeping him in North London. Moore featured in both of Spurs’ opening Premier League fixtures and also contributed a goal and an assist in the League Cup.

Moore can operate on either attacking flank as well as centrally between the lines. He is expected to provide another creative option alongside Said El Mala, with the possibility of operating on the right as a counterpart to Cologne’s highly rated German youth international. The Tottenham academy product spent last season on loan with Rangers, registering 11 goal contributions across 47 competitive appearances after previously breaking into the Spurs first team as a teenager.

Borna Sosa emerges as late left-back candidate

Cologne’s deadline work may not end with Moore. Sky Germany’s Dennis Bayer and Marlon Irlbacher report that Crystal Palace defender Borna Sosa is one of several candidates being evaluated as the club seeks another reinforcement on the left side. No advanced negotiations have yet been reported and Cologne are understood to be examining alternative options, but a decision is expected quickly.

A move would return Sosa to the Bundesliga three years after his departure from Stuttgart. Get German Football Newspreviously covered a potential Bundesliga return for Sosa when Mainz explored a move for the Croatian in January. The 28-year-old enjoyed the best period of his club career in Germany after joining Stuttgart from Dinamo Zagreb in 2018. Sosa developed into one of the Bundesliga’s most dangerous attacking wing-backs, with his crossing and ability to advance down the left making him an important component of the Stuttgart side.

Sosa’s career has been considerably less settled since leaving Stuttgart. The Croatia international spent only one season with Ajax before joining Torino on loan for the 2024/25 campaign. The Italian club declined to exercise its purchase option, after which Crystal Palace acquired Sosa from Ajax for approximately €2.3m last summer.

Regular opportunities have remained difficult to secure in England. Sosa remains contracted to Palace through 2028, but another Bundesliga move would offer the experienced left-sided defender an opportunity to return to the league in which he established his reputation.

GGFN | Peter Weis