“Seasoned Pro”
BVB finds a replacement for Haller
8/8/2022, 7:53 p.m
After the illness of his striker Haller, BVB is urgently looking for a replacement. The club will find him in Cologne. For the time being, the 34-year-old Modeste is coming for one season. The day before he was dropped from the Cologne squad at short notice due to the imminent change and is now looking forward to the Champions League.
Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund has signed veteran Anthony Modeste from league rivals 1. FC Köln as a replacement for the seriously ill Sebastien Haller. This was announced by the black and yellow after the medical check of 34-year-old Modeste. “Against the background of Haller’s illness, we are “glad” that we were able to add a “rather classic shock striker” to the squad with Anthony Modeste for the current season at short notice, said BVB sporting director Sebastian Kehl.
The transfer fee for the professional, who is only tied to Cologne until 2023, is said to be manageable at five million euros and fits into the requirement of not spending more than ten million euros for the entire package. The former international Kehl further described Modeste as a “seasoned professional who knows the Bundesliga very well, who scored 20 goals last season and who, with his profile, can take on exactly the role that our coach Edin Terzic wants for BVB football introduces.”
FC top scorer Modeste was no longer involved in Cologne’s home game against newly promoted Schalke 04 in the first division start yesterday due to the forthcoming transfer. The Frenchman had a contract with FC until 2023 and was the top earner in the team with an estimated annual salary of 3.5 million euros.
“One time chance”
“I am very grateful to 1. FC Köln for the nice and successful time. Nevertheless, I have now decided to change,” said Modeste: “BVB’s offer gave me a unique opportunity at my age, too to play in the Champions League and to be able to prove myself at the highest level.”
The ex-Hoffenheimer played a key role in FC qualifying for the Conference League play-offs last season. At the same time, the club is dependent on transfer income, FC lost midfield clearer Salih Özcan to BVB weeks ago.
For Modeste it is the second farewell from Cologne. In 2017, after a splendid season with 25 goals and Cologne’s entry into the Europa League, he surprisingly moved to China. Modeste has now again succeeded in leading his team into European business – without subsequently playing internationally with this team.
The Ivorian Haller, who came from Ajax Amsterdam and is the most expensive striker in the history of the Dortmund club with a fee of 31 million euros, has testicular cancer. He has to undergo chemotherapy and will be out for months.