Borussia Mönchengladbach eye up Antwerp’s Zeno van den Bosch as potential Ko Itakura replacement | OneFootball

Sport Bild reports that Borussia Mönchengladbach are keeping tabs on Royal Antwerp centre-back Zeno Van den Bosch. The 22-year-old Belgium U21 international could serve as a potential replacement for the departed Ko Itakura at the Bundesliga outfit. Itakura’s sale to Ajax was finally finalized two days ago.

Gladbach reportedly received a €10.5m base-transfer-fee for Itakura. The figure could rise to as high as €12m with bonuses. Itakura’s sale frees up some liquidity for the German foals. The Westphalian club now operates with an estimated €3m summer transfer surplus.

Van den Bosch – with an estimated market value of €10m – won’t come cheap. Antwerp could nevertheless be persuaded to sell him for a lower sum as he enters the final year of his contract. Prior to last season, Van den Bosch was considered a €4m-valued player.

“We have a few options and are keeping our eyes open,” BMG sporting director Roland Virkus – quoted by transfermarkt.de – noted in a recent interview. “We can react at any time if a door opens. The transfer market has been very slow to get going this year, perhaps also due to the Club World Cup. And when money does come in as it did with the sale of Florian Wirtz from Leverkusen to Liverpool, it tends to be reinvested abroad.”

GGFN | Peter Weis