Bundesliga January 2026 Transfer Primers | 1. FC Köln | OneFootball

The next of our 18 Bundesliga transfer primers to be published here on Get German Football News will take a look at 1. FC Köln. As mentioned in the just-published section covering VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach, this newly-promoted Bundesliga outfit finds itself deadlocked on points with their closest Rhein rivals. Köln, Gladabach, and fellow new Bundesliga entrants Hamburger SV even share the exact same win-lose-draw record. 

On an administrative level, the Domstädter deserve immense credit for having the massive courage to overhaul their front office (and axe their head coach) late last season when promotion out of the 2. Bundesliga appeared uncertain. Christian Keller’s reign as Köln’s chief sporting executive came to an abrupt halt last May. Former licensing director Thomas Kessler then stepped up into the breach and essentially proceeded to everything right.

Friedhelm Funkel – who recently saved Köln from relegation at the end of the 2020/21 campaign – proved the right man to help them get back to the Bundesliga. New trainer Lukas Kwasniok’s (borderline nuts) colorful antics have gone a long way towards keeping the squad humming and playing above their ability level. Kessler’s first summer transfer class? Borderline perfect; at least in terms of getting the Geißböcke off to the right start in the Bundesliga. 

It should be noted that quite a bit of sheen currently fades off this project. Alarmingly, the charm of the Kwasniok regime diminishes far quicker than the manner in which similar charm fell off during the Steffen Baumgart Effzeh days. Köln enter the winter break winless in their last six Bundesliga fixtures. Kwasniok’s men have failed to pick up any points at all in four of said six games. Gladbach, Eintracht, Leverkusen, and Baumgart’s Union have all defeated them.

1. FC Köln

At the beginning of November, they were in 7th place and on course for the UECL!

Winter Predictions Check, 1. FC Köln

Predicted Table Position – 14th place

Actual Table Position – 11th place, 16 points 

(4-W, 4-D, 7-L)

(-2 G-Diff)

Kwasniok (and his comical ugly Christmas sweater) deservedly catch some flak for not supplying the home-town fans with quality football in the final home fixture in the final match before the Christmas break. Köln’s performance against Union in the 0-1 loss actually didn’t come close to resembling anything close to football. Since the match-day nine win over Hamburger SV, courageous attacking football fell by the wayside. Even during the game in which the team put three past Frankfurt in a 3-4 home loss, it only came in jagged fits and spurts.

Placing matters into perspective, a general dip can serve this side well enough long term. Conference League qualification so soon might actually endanger the club’s hopes of gaining a more permanent hold in the Bundesliga. The cathedral city’s last stint in the German top flight (2019-2014) lasted only six seasons. The one season of Conference League football under Baumgart hardly made up for all the relegation scares and ultimate collapse. There’s also a match against Heidenheim before the Hin-runde concludes and the club’s softer opening schedule repeats in the Rück.

Autumn Transfer Assessment, 1. FC Köln

Estimated Summer Transfer Balance = –€12m

The figure above poses no significant cause for concern as Köln went nearly two years without any transfer outlays thanks to the CAS-ban. A club of this size and support also doesn’t take nearly as huge a hit in the 2. Bundesliga as others. Gate revenues hold steady. Some of the luxury box inlays decline, but intelligently run clubs can also use that to their advantage by paying less for things like security block-offs and in-stadium catering. We’ll certainly witness less spending in the coming window. The author still augurs one or two significant purchases. 

Regarding the moves already made, Wolfsburg loanee Jakub Kaminski qualifies as one of the best summer acquisitions across the entire Bundesliga. The “Pulsating Pollack” shall receive more than his fair share of praise once the forthcoming GGFN 100 is released. Suffice to say that his five goals (scored from all manner of different positions) render him absolutely worth the additional cash Köln are set to shell out to acquire him permanently. Former Eintracht and Lautern striker Ragnar Ache’s two goals and six assists across all comps prove him worth every penny. 

All Bundesliga beat reporters knew from the beginning that the Marius Bülter deal would prove both brilliant and economical. The results – three goals and three assists in the league – attest to that. Isak Bergman Johannesson and Sebastian Sebulonsen counted as far more expensive and riskier moves. Both nevertheless popped as regular starters. Sebulosen belongs in the same category as Kaminski. The Norwegian shines as a highly consistent hard worker immediately indispensable to this team.

Sebulonsen’s left-hand-side counterpart Kristoffer Lund also dazzled on plenty of occasions, but the USMNT international also contributed plenty of memorable mistakes. The same applies to former Germany U21 Tom Krauß who, like Lund, probably won’t be remaining on a permanent basis thanks to inconsistent performances. Veteran midfielder Alessio Castro Montes also unfortunately constitutes a total flop and it remains impossible to quantity the whether the decision to bring keeper Ron-Robert Zieler back to the Geißbockheim really furnished anything tangible. 

Kessler’s first major managerial appointment also yielded two flops (Cenk Özkacar and Rav van den Berg) where the squad could least afford it: The injury ravaged central defensive corps. Van den Berg cost an exorbitant amount of money, has only been so-so when healthy, and happens to be suspended for the duration of the Hin-Runde. Yeeouch. Kessler – still angling for a more permanent appointment as the club’s managing director – needs to earn his paycheck by addressing the center back situation first. 

Dead Weight Ledger and Expiring Contracts, 1. FC Köln

Linton Maina, arguably always a level below being a top flight footballer, has no place in Kwasniok’s plans and can still generate a few million if a proper buyer can be found. Sargis Adamyan spoiled Kessler’s summer streamlining of the squad with his own obstinance. Getting the Armenian off the payroll in the coming month remains a priority. The case of German Wunderkind Said El Mala’s slightly older brother gets tricky. Parking Malek elsewhere might help with the striker’s development, but keeping Said’s family close will surely influence any decision on his future.

Kwasniok shook up the team leadership structure precisely due to the expiring contracts of former captains Eric Martel and Timo Hübers. News of the ongoing extension talks with Martel has dried up recently, but one assumes the club still wishes to extend with their midfield regular. Neo Telle (20) may receive a playing audition and professional contract soon. Unless something most unexpected occurs, it looks to be the end of the line for veterans Dominque Heintz (32) and Florian Kainz (33). After many Bundesliga memories, both shall be missed. So too shall hard-luck-injury defender Luca Kilian.

Dead-Weight Ledger = Linton Maina (LW), Sargis Adamyan (CF), Malek El Mala (CF)

Expiring contracts =  Dominique Heintz (CB), Timo Hübers (CB) Neo Telle (CB), Luca Kilian (CB), Eric Martel (DM), Florian Kainz (ATTM)

Further Needs and Rumored Links, 1. FC Köln

Much of the chatter around the likes of Sebastiaan Bornauw and Calvin Brackelmann seems legit. A sensation return to the cathedral city for BVB flop Salih Özcan appears not to be in the cards. The Köln-native looks to be headed to Turkey instead. Many of the other rumors concern players in positions Kwasniok requires no urgent assistance for. Kessler may yet make a splurge or two as a means of securing Bundesliga safety and a better job for himself. The author reiterates that this club maintains a very solid financial position; much more so than their naming-rights-selling Rhein rivals. 

Further Needs = CB, ADM, DM, CM, AM, ATTM

Rumored Links = Vitale Becker (LB) Sebastiaan Bornauw (CB), Calvin Brackelmann (CB), Raphael Obermair (LM), Salih Özcan (DM), Sebastian Szymanski (ATTM)

GGFN | Peter Weis