Köln, read in full

Read the story of

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Chapter one · read the club

Köln,read in full.

René Wagner's side sit in the table.

Chapter two · find the gap

The gaps are at and .

Biggest need · central midfield · too few players, below its rivals
Counted by where they start, its options add up to only players, veterans aside, where a squad carries . The best of them, Ísak Bergmann Jóhannesson, is worth ; at the clubs closest to Köln in strength the best option there is typically worth .
Second need · full-back · too few players, below its rivals
Counted by where they start, its options add up to only players, veterans aside, where a squad carries . The best of them, Gideon Mensah, is worth ; at the clubs closest to Köln in strength the best option there is typically worth .

Every position is compared with the six squads in its league closest in strength: depth, the best option's value, ageing. Players count where they actually start, not where they are listed.

Chapter three · scout the fix

Three ways to fix it.

Biggest need: central midfield

Dream targets · whatever the cost

Cristian Cásseres Jr.
Club
FC Toulouse
Age
Contract
months left
Price
(likely –)
Plays central midfield · right-footed · cm · caps
Why him
He scores and sets up league goals per full match, more goal involvement than of players at his position in Ligue 1. He would compete with Paul Okon-Engstler () for a starting place. The most valuable regular starter we found at central midfield. We expect him to play of Köln's minutes. Only months are left on his contract, which brings the price down. Market value .
Nelson Deossa
Club
Real Betis Balompié
Age
Contract
months left
Price
(likely –)
Plays central midfield · left-footed · cm
Why him
A regular: minutes for Real Betis Balompié in the past year's matches on record. He would compete with Paul Okon-Engstler () for a starting place. The second most valuable regular starter we found at central midfield. We expect him to play of Köln's minutes. Market value .
Kamory Doumbia
Club
Stade Brestois 29
Age
Contract
months left
Price
(likely –)
Plays attacking midfield · right-footed · cm · caps
Why him
He scores and sets up league goals per full match, more goal involvement than of players at his position in Ligue 1. He would compete with Paul Okon-Engstler () for a starting place. The third most valuable regular starter we found at central midfield. We expect him to play of Köln's minutes. Market value .

Realistic targets · gettable

András Schäfer
Club
1.FC Union Berlin
Age
Contract
months left
Price
(likely –)
Plays central midfield · right-footed · cm · caps
Why him
He scores and sets up league goals per full match; for goals and assists he is behind most players at his position in Bundesliga (ahead of ). He would compete with Paul Okon-Engstler () for a starting place. A move that can happen: 1.FC Union Berlin sell players like him more often than most ( chance in a window), and players tend to move up to richer clubs like Köln. The likeliest move of those we checked ( in a window; any one move is a long shot). Only months are left on his contract, which brings the price down.
Nicolás Capaldo
Club
Hamburger SV
Age
Contract
months left
Price
(likely –)
Plays central midfield, centre-back · right-footed · cm · caps
Why him
He scores and sets up league goals per full match; for goals and assists he is behind most players at his position in Bundesliga (ahead of ). He would compete with Paul Okon-Engstler () for a starting place. A move that can happen: Hamburger SV sell players like him more often than most ( chance in a window), and players tend to move up to richer clubs like Köln. The second likeliest move of those we checked ( in a window; any one move is a long shot).
Philipp Sander
Club
Borussia Mönchengladbach
Age
Contract
months left
Price
(likely –)
Plays central midfield, centre-back, defensive midfield · two-footed · cm
Why him
He scores and sets up league goals per full match; for goals and assists he is behind most players at his position in Bundesliga (ahead of ). He would compete with Paul Okon-Engstler () for a starting place. A move that can happen: Borussia Mönchengladbach sell players like him more often than most ( chance in a window), and players tend to move up to richer clubs like Köln. The third likeliest move of those we checked ( in a window; any one move is a long shot).

Hidden gems · young, rising

Mahamadou Susoho
Club
Kocaelispor
Age
Price
(likely –)
Plays central midfield, defensive midfield · right-footed · cm
Why him
He scores and sets up league goals per full match; for goals and assists he is behind most players at his position in Scottish Premiership (ahead of ). He would compete with Paul Okon-Engstler () for a starting place. Aged and already a regular ( of Kocaelispor's minutes), projected to be worth in a few seasons.
Dikeni Salifou
Club
KV Mechelen
Age
Price
(likely –)
Plays central midfield, defensive midfield · right-footed · cm · caps
Why him
He would compete with Paul Okon-Engstler () for a starting place. Aged and already a regular ( of KV Mechelen's minutes), projected to be worth in a few seasons.
Dirk Asare
Club
Zulte Waregem
Age
Price
(likely –)
Plays central midfield, defensive midfield · right-footed · cm
Why him
He would compete with Paul Okon-Engstler () for a starting place. Aged and already a regular ( of Zulte Waregem's minutes), projected to be worth in a few seasons.

Second need: full-back

Dream targets · whatever the cost

Sergi Cardona
Club
Villarreal CF
Age
Contract
months left
Price
(likely –)
Plays left-back · two-footed · cm
Why him
A creative full-back: in the top of full-backs in Europe's biggest leagues for chances created and the top for interceptions ( league season). Next to Borna Sosa, the last of Köln's regular starters there, he would add chances created: he is ahead of of full-backs in Europe's biggest leagues for it, Borna Sosa ahead of . The most valuable regular starter we found at full-back. We expect him to play of Köln's minutes. Only months are left on his contract, which brings the price down. Market value .
Lorenz Assignon
Club
VfB Stuttgart
Age
Contract
months left
Price
(likely –)
Plays right midfield, right-back · right-footed · cm
Why him
A regular: minutes for VfB Stuttgart in the past year's matches on record. He would compete with Borna Sosa () for a starting place. The second most valuable regular starter we found at full-back. We expect him to play of Köln's minutes. Market value .
Francisco Moura
Club
FC Porto
Age
Contract
months left
Price
(likely –)
Plays left-back · left-footed · cm · caps
Why him
From full-back he sets up league goals per full match, more goal involvement than of players at his position in Liga Portugal. He would compete with Borna Sosa () for a starting place. The third most valuable regular starter we found at full-back. We expect him to play of Köln's minutes. Market value .

Realistic targets · gettable

Joe Scally
Club
Borussia Mönchengladbach
Age
Contract
months left
Price
(likely –)
Plays right-back · right-footed · cm · caps
Why him
From full-back he sets up league goals per full match; for goals and assists he is behind most players at his position in Bundesliga (ahead of ). He would compete with Borna Sosa () for a starting place. A move that can happen: Borussia Mönchengladbach sell players like him more often than most ( chance in a window), and players tend to move up to richer clubs like Köln. The likeliest move of those we checked ( in a window; any one move is a long shot). Only months are left on his contract, which brings the price down.
Arkadiusz Pyrka
Club
FC St. Pauli
Age
Price
(likely –)
Plays right midfield, right-back · right-footed · cm · caps
Why him
From full-back he sets up league goals per full match; for goals and assists he is behind most players at his position in Bundesliga (ahead of ). He would compete with Borna Sosa () for a starting place. A move that can happen: FC St. Pauli sell players like him more often than most ( chance in a window), and players tend to move up to richer clubs like Köln. The second likeliest move of those we checked ( in a window; any one move is a long shot).
Miro Muheim
Club
Hamburger SV
Age
Contract
months left
Price
(likely –)
Plays left midfield · left-footed · cm · caps
Why him
From full-back he sets up league goals per full match; for goals and assists he is behind most players at his position in Bundesliga (ahead of ). He would compete with Borna Sosa () for a starting place. A move that can happen: Hamburger SV sell players like him more often than most ( chance in a window), and players tend to move up to richer clubs like Köln. The third likeliest move of those we checked ( in a window; any one move is a long shot). Only months are left on his contract, which brings the price down.

Hidden gems · young, rising

Odeluga Offiah
Club
Preston North End
Age
Price
(likely –)
Plays centre-back, right-back · right-footed · cm
Why him
He has not set up a league goal in the matches on record; for goals and assists he is behind most players at his position in Championship (ahead of ). He would compete with Borna Sosa () for a starting place. Aged and already a regular ( of Preston North End's minutes), projected to be worth in a few seasons. Transfermarkt lists league minutes for him last season.
Colby Donovan
Club
Celtic FC
Age
Price
(likely –)
Plays right-back · right-footed · cm · caps
Why him
He would compete with Borna Sosa () for a starting place. Aged and already a regular ( of Celtic FC's minutes), projected to be worth in a few seasons.
Filip Lissah
Club
Swansea City
Age
Price
(likely –)
Plays left-back, right-back · right-footed · cm · caps
Why him
He has not set up a league goal in the matches on record, more goal involvement than of players at his position in Scottish Premiership. He would compete with Borna Sosa () for a starting place. Aged and already a regular ( of Swansea City's minutes), projected to be worth in a few seasons.

Price is our fair fee for Köln today; the likely range is where most fees for players like him have landed. Wages are not shown: no free source publishes them.

Injury risk is rated for players in Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga and Ligue 1; Eredivisie has too little injury data to rate; other leagues have none.

Chapter four · check every number

Every number has a receipt.

league position · Köln
league points · Köln
league goals scored · Köln
league goals conceded · Köln
recent league results, oldest first · Köln
appointed head coach of Köln · René Wagner

Verified ×2Every figure re-checked against its source · news needs an official source or two independent ones · hover any number

Chapter five · predict Saturday

Köln v Schalke 04

Köln win

Draw

Schalke 04 win

Forecast from team ratings and chance quality, tested on two full seasons: better than a classic rating system, not yet as sharp as the bookmakers.

Chapter six · fork it

Open source. Free. Yours.

Free and open source, built only on free data and open AI. Point it at your club and check every number yourself.

github.com/delta96040/dugout Read the full dossier