Borussia Mönchengladbach sporting director Roland Virkus: “Nevertheless, the team can work better in the new season. Sometimes it’s just small things that are missing, see VfB Stuttgart.” | OneFootball

Speaking to Sportbuzzer, Borussia Mönchengladbach’s sporting director has spoken on the club’s situation heading into the summer transfer window and what could happen.

When asked about what may happen in the transfer window, Virksu said: “I say it quite openly: We can only take a lot of money into our hands if we achieve proceeds. There is no other way. Nevertheless, the team can function better in the new season. Sometimes it’s just small things that are missing, see VfB Stuttgart. There, the squad was only minimally changed compared to the pre-season, with Maximilian Mittelstädt and Deniz Undav.”

Earlier in the week, Virkus maintained the support for head coach Gerardo Seaone, despite the poor performances all season.

Virkus however still believes that the current squad is good enough: “First and foremost, however, fallow potentials have been exhausted, and I also see them with us. For example, Cvancara with his qualities is a striker who has to hit double-digit if he stays healthy. If it is possible to retrieve these potentials, the team will be more stable and the results will come back.”

The sporting director also believes that the team is missing leadership since the departure of Lars Stindl, with former midfielder Granit Xhaka given as an example: I agree with you (on lack of leadership), football always has something to do with the fact that you have people on the pitch who set the way, who lead. We have been missing this kind of leadership in some places since the departure of Lars Stindl. But let’s take Xhaka: We can’t afford a player like him with our means. In general, it is hardly possible for us to buy leadership, because it is very expensive. So we have to try to spread this over several shoulders, and see which players can perhaps grow into such a role.”

Gladbach have also been linked to Daichi Kamada lately, when asked about a potential Bundesliga return, Virkus said: “Kamada is a very good player who could definitely help us with his quality. But in terms of salary alone, a player of this class is utopian for Borussia.”

Overall, Gladbach’s season has been poor, to say the least. Die Fohlen exited the DFB Pokal in a rather embarrassing manner at the hands of Saarbrücken, ending what was a very good chance to make it to the final. While in the league, the team has underperformed heavily and have found themselves hovering above the relegation zone. If major changes in the summer are not made, Gladbach could find themselves in a real relegation fight next season.

GGFN | Jack Meenan