FC Koln's summer 2026 transfer business has been given an overall grade of 8 out of 10. This assessment comes from an analysis by 90min.de, evaluating the squad building following the club's Bundesliga survival last season.
The most significant positive was retaining attacking jewel Said El Mala, who did not move to Borussia Dortmund. Sporting director Thomas Kessler completed the squad late in August with key additions. These included bringing back midfielder Ellyes Skhiri from Eintracht Frankfurt and loaning striker Thijs Dallinga, left-back Borna Sosa, and attacking talent Mikey Moore.
How was the squad strengthened?
FC Koln addressed specific problem areas. After Kristoffer Lund's departure, the left side of defence was a concern. The signings of Gideon Mensah from Auxerre and the loan of Borna Sosa filled that gap. In central defence, left-footer Luka Lochoshvili, signed from 1. FC Nürnberg, represents a clear upgrade over Cenk Özkacar.
Further forward, young talents Reigan Heskey from Manchester City and Paul Okon-Engstler from Sydney FC are expected to add fresh impetus. Making the loans of Tom Krauß and Jahmai Simpson-Pusey permanent brought back known quality. According to transfermarkt.de, the Billy Goats' total expenditure this window exceeded 25 million euros.
Which players left the club?
The most notable departure was the sale of Jakub Kaminski to Benfica Lisbon, which netted the club a transfer profit of 11.5 million euros. Eric Martel's free transfer to Mainz 05 is seen as annoying but manageable. The retirement of Florian Kainz carries significant weight, as he was a leadership figure in the dressing room for years.
Other exits, such as Denis Huseinbasic, Dominique Heintz, and Rasmus Carstensen, were deemed to have no promising future at the club. Several young talents like Julian Pauli and Youssoupha Niang were sent out on loan to gain experience. The current squad list with all ins and outs is available on our squad page.
How economical was the transfer window?
Despite the Kaminski sale, FC Koln finishes the summer window with a net transfer loss. Expenditure of over 25 million euros is offset by income of around 18 million euros. Sporting director Thomas Kessler took a financial risk, which increases the pressure on the team.
Relegation could become financially critical, as a player like Said El Mala would likely not fetch 50 million euros in that scenario, reports 90min.de. Keeping the attacker was therefore also a financial bet on sporting success. The upcoming Bundesliga fixtures that will determine this success are listed in our fixtures calendar.
What is expected from the new signings?
The late arrivals will probably need some time to adapt. However, Thijs Dallinga already showed his potential with a brace in a friendly against Hoffenheim. In defensive midfield, it remains to be seen if Ellyes Skhiri can recapture his old form after three weaker years in Frankfurt. His signing for a 1.6 million euro fee is considered the riskiest deal of the summer.
The officials around head of sport Kessler needed longer than last year to finalise the squad. In the end, the Billy Goats now have a broad but not overcrowded squad of 25 players. Currently, only goalkeeper Marvin Schwäbe, Said El Mala, and Luka Lochoshvili seem assured of starting spots. The next chance to see the new team in action is the Bundesliga home match against VfB Stuttgart on 13 September 2026.
