Can he bounce back? Ex-DFB hopeful in striker’s nightmare | OneFootball

Mërgim Berisha was, not all that long ago, what Nick Woltemade is this summer. With the German U21 team, he impressed at the 2021 European Championship and even won the title. Shortly after, he blasted his way into the Bundesliga spotlight, catching the eye of almost every team and even making it into Hansi Flick’s national squad. Just two years later, he finds himself in the German striker’s hell.

By now, Berisha has almost nothing in common with Woltemade. Maybe the number of international caps (2), but that number is likely to rise significantly for the latter, especially if he moves to Bayern for an astronomical sum.

Berisha was never really discussed at Bayern Munich, but at least at one point he was considered by Borussia Dortmund. Ultimately, about two years ago, he decided against BVB and opted for an interim step at Hoffenheim. The Kraichgau club paid Augsburg a hefty 14 million euros, making Berisha the most expensive signing in the club’s history.

But why not? In the 2022/23 season, he scored nine goals and provided four assists for FCA between matchdays 5 and 26. Only ankle problems at the end of the season prevented an even better tally. Berisha was, almost overnight, hailed as Germany’s great striker hope, as everyone was still claiming at the time that there were no more center-forwards in Germany.

A Move Goes Wrong

In Hoffenheim, Berisha wanted to cement his status as a DFB hopeful: “The conditions created here have already helped several players make a leap in performance,” he said upon his signing. He was probably already dreaming of a regular spot in the national team and a possible move to a top club.

Instead, everything went wrong. In November after his transfer, he tore his cruciate ligament and didn’t get along with coach Pellegrino Materazzo. After being subbed off early against Werder Bremen, there was reportedly, according to ‘kicker’, “a heated argument” with the coach in October 2024. Berisha was dropped from the squad for the upcoming Europa League match and was barely considered by Matarazzo, and after his dismissal, also by the new coach, Christian Ilzer.

A loan back to Augsburg brought no improvement due to persistent injuries, and so Berisha is back at TSG. However, Hoffenheim is probably the very last place you’d want to find yourself as a struggling striker.

There are currently a relaxed eleven center-forwards in TSG’s squad. Thirteen, if you count Andrej Kramarić and Marius Bülter, who can theoretically also be deployed in the central striker role.

No Chance of Playing Time?

If Ilzer continues to line up his team in a 3-4-2-1 next season, there are only three spots available in the attacking center. Erencan Yardimci and David Mokwa are two talents who, according to ‘kicker’, are set to be loaned out, and 18-year-old Deniz Zeitler is planned for the third-division team.

Tim Lemperle, Max Moerstedt, and Fisnik Asllani, who just extended his contract long-term, are talented youngsters who need playing time. Bülter, Kramarić, Haris Tabakovic, Ihlas Bebou, winger Bazoumana Toure, and Gift Orban, who only joined from Lyon for nine million euros in the winter, are all likely ahead of Berisha. Adam Hlozek is a guaranteed starter anyway.

📸 Christian Kaspar-Bartke - 2021 Getty Images

If Ilzer doesn’t reshuffle the starting spots every week in a Royal Rumble, Berisha is somewhere around tenth in the pecking order, with playing chances in the per mille range. Welcome to striker hell. At least, unless he suddenly starts playing out of his skin during pre-season.

The outlook is bleak, making a transfer likely. But who is licking their lips for a striker who has missed almost an entire season and a half due to injuries and last scored a Bundesliga goal in September 2024?

On the other hand, Berisha is only 27 years old. It looks like he’ll have to take a step or two back. Not to play for the national team or a top club someday, but just to finally be back on the pitch and simply kick a ball again. And who knows, maybe things will look up again? After all, he experienced himself just three years ago how quickly things can change.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.

📸 Thomas Niedermueller - 2019 Getty Images