Official: Jusuf Gazibegović joins Widzew Łódź on loan from Köln | OneFootball

1. FC Köln have officially confirmed that Jusuf Gazibegović has joined Polish top-flight side Widzew Łódź on loan for the 2026/27 campaign.

The 26-year-old right-back will spend the season in the Ekstraklasa after being informed he was not part of Köln’s plans for the upcoming campaign.

“Of course, I would have liked another chance to prove myself at FC Köln. Unfortunately, the management decided otherwise,” Gazibegović said following the announcement.

“Now I’m happy to have found a club in Widzew Łódź where I’ll have the opportunity to show what I can do from the start of the season, with the clear goal of becoming a regular starter again. I’ll give everything I have in Łódź to achieve that.”

Köln sporting director Thomas Kessler explained the club’s decision, stressing that transparency had been a priority throughout the process.

“We informed Gazi early and transparently that he would not play a role in our sporting plans for the upcoming season,” Kessler said.

“It was important to us to give him that clarity as early as possible so that he and his agent could work on the best possible solution for his future. Together, we have now found an arrangement that makes sense for everyone involved and gives Gazi the opportunity to gain regular playing time at a good level with Widzew Łódź.”

Gazibegović remains under contract with Köln until 2028 and will hope to impress during his loan spell in Poland before returning to the Bundesliga club.