Fortuna Düsseldorf hopeful of bringing back “promotion hero” Florian Neuhaus | OneFootball

Fortuna Düsseldorf sporting director Klaus Allofs has spoken on transfer rumors linking German midfielder Florian Neuhaus with a return to the Flingeraner. The Borussia Mönchengladbach midfielder played one season on loan at Düsseldorf during the 2017/18 2. Bundesliga campaign, helping the F95 capture the second division crown and earn promotion. Allofs wishes to recapture the magic with the now 28-year-old.

Neuhaus scored six league goals and collected three assists for Friedhelm Funkel’s Düsseldorf that year. Famously, Neuhaus scored the opening goal and assisted on the dramatic match-winner against Dynamo Dresden on the final matchday of the season. Neuhaus served as Düsseldorf’s “promotion hero” in the 1-2 away win.

Neuhaus remains a Gladbach pariah after a controversial video leaked this past summer showed him mocking BMG sporting director Roland Virkus. Despite the fracture that the ten-times-capped German international’s training demotion with the Gladbach U23s is drawing to a close soon, Neuhaus likely has no future with his top flight side.

Düsseldorf have been working in the German second division since getting relegated at the end of the 2019/20 campaign. The famed Westphalian “punk rock club” have managed to remain in the promotion hunt over the last five seasons, most famously missing out in the promotion-relegation playoffs against Bochum at the end of the 2023/24 cycle.

Allofs’ stated desire to build a squad of experiences Bundesliga professionals this summer has already seen the club bring in fullback Christopher Lenz (Hoffenheim), central defender Kenneth Schmidt (Freiburg), and keeper Marcel Lotka (Borussia Dortmund). Allofs confirmed his club’s interest in Neuhaus, telling a local paper that they had already inquired multiple times.

“It’s true that we knocked on their [Gladbach’s] door last year,” Allofs told the Rheinische Post. “It would be silly not to do so, because Flo is someone who has already been at Fortuna. .If there is an opportunity to sign him, you shouldn’t miss out on at least looking into it. We do that from time to time.

“The latest speculation still has a lot to do with what’s happened recently,” Allofs nevertheless emphasized. “As long as there’s been no final decision about his situation, we’ll keep this option open as a ‘desirable solution.‘”

Neuhaus remains under contract with Gladbach until 2027 and maintains an estimated market value of €3.5m. A loan deal remains an option provided Gladbach take at least some responsibility for Neuhaus’ €4m salary. Neuhaus has also been linked with an Augsburg switch this summer.

GGFN | Peter Weis