2. Bundesliga 23/24: Summer transfer window
The off-season provides all of the 18 2. Bundesliga sides the perfect opportunity to unwind before the gruelling 34 match season commences on July 28th. For some, the transfer window offers the opportunity to add key pieces as the prepare for an assault promotion.
Others, most notably the relegated Bundesliga sides in Hertha BSC and FC Schalke 04, they have to get this window right if they want to ensure their stay in the 2. Bundesliga is only temporary. Failure to do so could see fate that so many clubs have faced over the past few seasons.
Here is a look at the summer transfer window:
Hertha BSC
Signings: Gustav Christensen (FC Midtjylland), Marius Gersbeck (Karlsruhe), Fabian Reese (Holstein Kiel), Jeremy Dudziak (Greuther Fürth), Toni Leistner (Sint-Truidense V.V.), Smail Prevljak (KAS Eupen), Pascal Klemens (Hertha BSC U19), Martin Winkler (Hertha BSC II), Palko Dárdai (Fehérvár FC), Anderson Lucoqui (1. FSV Mainz 05)
Returning from Loan: Linus Gechter (Eintracht Braunschweig), Myziane Maolida (Reims), Krzysztof Piatek (Salernitana), Alexander Schwolow (FC Schalke 04), Luca Wollschläger (Rot-Weiß Essen), Deyovaisio Zeefuik (Hellas Verona)
Departures: Omar Alderete (Getafe, loan made permanent), Santiago Ascacibar (Estudiantes, loan made permanent), Kevin-Prince Boateng (retired), Chidera Ejuke (CSKA Moscow, end of loan), Stevan Jovetic (without club), Maximilian Mittelstädt (VfB Stuttgart), Marvin Plattenhardt (without club), Ivan Sunjic (Birmingham City, end of loan), Rune Jarstein (without club), Tolga Cigerci (MKE Ankaragücü), Jessic Ngankam (Eintracht Frankfurt), Krzysztof Piatek (Istanbul Basaksehir FK), Lucas Tousart (Union Berlin)
Eintracht Braunschweig
Signings: Johan Gomez (FSV Zwickau), Sebastian Griesbeck (Greuther Fürth), Robert Ivanov (Warta Poznan), Marvin Rittmüller (1. FC Heidenheim), Rayan Philippe (FC Swift Hesperange), Tino Casali (SCR Altach), Keita Endo (Union Berlin, on loan), Kaan Caliskaner (Jahn Regensburg), Youssef Amyn (Feyenoord Rotterdam U21), Sidi Sané (FC Schalke 04 II), Rami Zouaoui (Eintracht Braunschweig U19)
Returning from Loan: Yannik Bangsow (Alemannia Aachen)
Departures: Immanuel Pherai (Hamburger SV), Filip Benkovic (Udinese Calcio, end of loan), Tarsis Bonga (1860 München), Keita Endo (Union Berlin, end of loan), Linus Gechter (Hertha Berlin, end of loan), Bryan Henning (Viktoria Köln), Mehmet Ibrahimi (RB Leipzig, end of loan), Lion Lauberbach (KV Mechelen), Philipp Strompf (without club), Manuel Wintzheimer (1. FC Nürnberg, end of loan), Enrique Peña Zauner (without club), Jasmin Fejzić (retired), Lennart Schulze-Kökelsum (without club)
Fortuna Düsseldorf
Signings: Vincent Vermeij (SC Freiburg II), Yannik Engelhardt (SC Freiburg II), Karol Niemczycki (Cracovia, on loan)
Returning from Loan: Jamil Siebert (Viktoria Köln), Nicklas Shipnoski (Jahn Regensburg),
Departures: Kristoffer Peterson (Hapoel Beer Sheva), Kwadwo Baah (Watford, end of loan), Rouwen Hennings (SV Sandhausen), Michal Karbownik (Brighton and Hove Albion, end of loan), Dawid Kownacki (Werder Bremen), Raphael Wolf (without club), Nicklas Shipnoski (Arminia Bielefeld), Jorrit Hendrix (without club), Nana Ampomah (without club), Christoph Klarer (SV Darmstadt 98)
SV Elversberg
Signings: Joseph Boyamba (1860 München), Dominik Martinovic (Waldhof Mannheim), Paul Stock (TSV Steinbach), Arne Sicker (SV Sandhuausen), Tim Boss (1. FC Magdeburg), Wahid Fagir (VfB Stuttgart, on loan)
Returning from Loan:
Departures: Ben Bobzien (1. FSV Mainz 05, end of loan), Valdrin Mustafa (Viktoria Köln), Nick Woltemade (Werder Bremen, end of loan), Sinan Tekerci (Stuttgarter Kickers), Luca Menke (without club), Anton Ziegler (SF Köllerbach), Laurin von Piechowski (without club), Tobias Mißner (SV Meppen), Eros Dacoj (SV Rödinghausen), Daniel Pantschenko (Union Titus Petange)
Greuther Fürth
Signings: Kerim Calhanoglu (FC Schalke 04), Tim Lemperle (1. FC Köln, loan), Lukas Petkov (FC Augsburg, loan), Dennis Srbeny (SC Paderborn 07), Robert Wagner (SC Freiburg, loan), Jomaine Consbruch (Arminia Bielefeld), Jonas Urbig (1. FC Köln loan), Orestis Kiomourtzoglou (Hearts)
Returning from Loan: Jeremy Dudziak (Hatayspor)
Departures: Afimico Pululu (Jagiellonia Biakystok), Ragnar Ache (Eintracht Frankfurt, end of loan), Sebastian Griesbeck (Eintracht Braunschweig), Marco John (TSG Hoffenheim, end of loan), Robin Kehr (retired), Lukas Petkov (FC Augsburg, end of loan), Nico Grimbs (Floridsdorfer AC), Tobias Raschl (1. FC Kaiserslautern), Max Christiansen (Hannover 96), Jeremy Dudziak (Hertha BSC), Nils Seufert (SV Reid), Elias Kratzer (Greifswalder FC)
Hamburger SV
Signings: Guilherme Ramos (Arminia Bielefeld), Immanuel Pherai (Eintracht Braunschweig), Levin Öztunali (Union Berlin), Daouda Beleme (Hamburger SV II), Dennis Hadžikadunić (FK Rostov), Ignance Van der Brempt (RB Salzburg, on loan)
Returning from Loan: Stephan Ambrosius (Karlsruher SC), Marko Johansson (VfL Bochum), Robin Meißner (Viktoria Köln)
Departures: Xavier Amaechi (1. FC Magdeburg), Noah Katterbach (1. FC Köln, end of loan), Sonny Kittel (without club), Javi Montero (Besiktas, end of loan), Maximilian Rohr (SC Paderborn 07, loan made permanent), Daouda Beleme (FC Ingolstadt 04, on loan), Leo Oppermann (Arminia Bielefeld, on loan), Robin Meißner (Dynamo Dresden, on loan), Filip Bilbija (SC Paderborn 07)
Hannover 96
Signings: Bright Arrey-Mbi (Bayern München, loan made permanent), Marius Wörl (1860 München), Yannik Lührs (Hannover 96 II), Leon-Oumar Wechsel (SV Rödinghausen), Brooklyn Ezeh (Wehen Wiesbaden), Max Christiansen (Greuther Fürth), Marcel Halstenberg (RB Leipzig)
Returning from Loan: Lawrence Ennali (Rot-Weiß Essen), Simon Stehle (Viktoria Köln)
Departures: Maximilian Beier (TSG Hoffenheim, end of loan), Sebastian Kerk (without club), Gael Ondoua (Servette FC), Sebastian Stolze (SV Sandhausen), Tim Walbrecht (without club), Hendrik Weydandt (retired), Simon Stehele (without club), Ekin Celebi (Rot-Weiss Essen), Lawrence Ennali (Górnik Zabrze, on loan)
Kaiserslautern
Signings: Jan Elvedi (Jahn Regensburg), Tymoteusz Puchaz (Union Berlin, loan), Tobias Raschl (Greuther Fürth), Richard Tachie (SC Paderborn 07), Ragnar Ache (Eintracht Frankfurt)
Returning from Loan: Hikmet Ciftci (Goztepe, end of loan), Neal Gibs (Astoria Walldorf, end of loan)
Departures: Robin Bormuth (SC Paderborn 07, end of loan), Nicolas de Preville (Troyes), Muhammed Kiprit (without club), Nicolai Rapp (Werder Bremen, end of loan), Dominik Schad (SC Preußen Münster), Jonas Weyand (Hessen Kassel), Angelos Stavridis (FC 08 Homburg)
Karlsruher SC
Signings: Marcel Beifus (St. Pauli), Patrick Drewes (SV Sandhausen), Lars Stindl (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Eren Öztürk (Karlsruher SC U19), David Herold (Bayern München, on loan), Robin Bormouth (SC Paderborn 07), Dzenis Burnić (1. FC Heidenheim)
Returning from Loan: Bastian Allgeier (SSV Ulm), Dominik Kother (Waldhof Mannheim), Kelvin Arase (K.V. Oostende)
Departures: Tim Breithaupt (FC Augsburg), Stephan Ambrosius (Hamburg, end of loan), Florian Ballas (Jahn Regensburg), Lucas Cueto (Dynamo Dresden), Marius Gersbeck (Hertha BSC), Daniel Gordon (retired), Felix Irorere (Borussia Dortmund II), Mikkel Kaufmann (Copenhagen, end of loan), Lazar Mirkovic (without club), Bastian Allgeier (SSV Ulm, loan made permanent), Dominik Kother (Jahn Regensburg), Kyoung-rok Choi (without club), Daniel Brosinski (without club), Malik Batmaz (SC Preußen Münster)
Holstein Kiel
Signings: Marko Ivezic (Vozdovac), Carl Johansson (Goteborg), Lasse Rosenboom (Werder Bremen U23), Nicolai Remberg (Preußen Münster), Ba-Muaka Simakala (VfL Osnabrück), Marcel Engelhardt (FSV Zwickau), Tom Rothe (Borussia Dortmund), Aurel Wagbe (VfL Wolfsburg U19), Shuto Machino (Shonan Bellmare), Niklas Niehoff (Holstein Kiel II), Colin Kleine-Bekel (Holstein Kiel II)
Returning from Loan: Ahmet Arslan (Dynamo Dresden), Nico Carrera (FSV Zwickau), Joshua Mees (Jahn Regensburg)
Departures: Fin Bartels (retired), Robin Himmelmann (without club), Aleksandar Ignjovski (without club), Mikkel Kirkeskov (without club), Julian Korb (Borussia Mönchengladbach II), Simon Lorenz (FC Ingolstadt 04), Alexander Mühling (SV Sandhausen), Marvin Obuz (1. FC Köln, end of loan), Fabian Reese (Hertha BSC), Stefan Thesker (SKN St. Pölten), Hauke Wahl (St. Pauli), Noah Awuku (Eintracht Norderstedt), Ahmet Arslan (1. FC Magdeburg), Kwasi Wriedt (VfL Osnabrück, loan), Marcel Benger (SC Verl)
Magdeburg
Signings: Xavier Amaechi (Hamburger SV), Jean Hugonet (Austria Lustenau), Tatsuya Ito (Sint-Truidense V.V. loan made permanent) Alexander Nollenberger (SpVgg Bayreuth), Julian Pollersbeck (Olympique Lyonnais), Tarek Chahed (Berliner AK 07), Jonas Fabisch (Hamburger SV II), Ahmet Arslan (Holstein Kiel), Andi Hoti (Inter Milan)
Returning from Loan:
Departures: Moritz-Broni Kwarteng (VfL Bochum), Alexander Bittroff (Jahn Regensburg), Kai Brünker (1. FC Saarbrücken), Andreas Müller (SV Darmstadt 98), Julian Rieckmann (Waldof Mannheim), Leon Schmökel (without club), Tim Sechelmann (Waldof Mannheim), Maximilian Ullmann (Venezia, end of loan), Tim Boss (SV Elversberg), Maximilian Franzke (without club), Florian Kath (without club), Léo Scienza (SSV Ulm)
Nürnberg
Signings: Daichi Hayashi (Sint-Truidense V.V. loan), Ivan Marquez (NEC Nijmegen), Jens Castrop (1. FC Köln II, loan made permanent), Ahmet Gürleyen (Wehen Wiesbaden), Nicholas Ortegel (1. FC Nürnberg U19), Jannes Horn (VfL Bochum, loan made permanent), Kanji Okunuki (Omiya Ardija), Joseph Hungbo (Watford FC)
Returning from Loan: Manuel Wintzheimer (Eintracht Braunschweig), Paul Besong (Erzgebirge Aue)
Departures: Louis Breunig (Jahn Regensburg, loan), Paul Besong (Borussia Dortmund II), Shawn Blum (1. FC Kaiserslautern II), Danny Blum (without club), Jens Castrop (1. FC Köln, end of loan), Florian Flick (FC Schalke 04, end of loan), Jannes Horn (VfL Bochum, end of loan), Pascal Köpke (MSV Duisburg), Fabian Nürnberger (SV Darmstadt 98), Gustavo Puerta (Bayer Leverkusen, end of loan), Erik Shuranov (Maccabi Haifa), Lino Tempelmann (SC Freiburg, end of loan), Peter Vindahl Jensen (AZ Alkmaar, end of loan), Manuel Wintzheimer (Arminia Bielefeld, loan), Kwadwo Duah (Ludogerets Razgrad)
VfL Osnabrück
Signings: Bashkim Ajdini (SV Sandhausen), Dave Gnaase (1. FC Saarbrücken), Lars Kehl (SC Freiburg II), Charalampos Makridis (Jahn Regensburg), Luca Böggemann (VfL Osnabrück U19), Yigit Karademir (VfL Osnabrück U19), Kwasi Wriedt (Holstein Kiel, loan), Maximilian Thalhammer (Jahn Regensburg), Florian Bähr (TSG Hoffenheim), Christian Conteh (Feyenoord Rotterdam), Lennart Grill (Union Berlin, loan)
Returning from Loan: Benas Satkus (FK Banga Gargždai), Luis Sprekelmeyer (SV Lippstadt 08), Jannik Zahmel (Blau-Weiß Lohne)
Departures: Marc Heider (retired), Felix Higl (SSV Ulm), Ba-Muaka Simakala (Holstein Kiel), Luis Sprekelmeyer (SV Meppen), Sven Köhler (Odense BK), Davide Itter (Wuppertaler SV), Laurenz Beckenmeyer (Sportfreunde Lotte), Benas Satkus (without club), Sören Bertram (without club), Omar Traoré (1. FC Heidenheim), Jannik Zahmel (Blau-Weiß Lohne)
SC Paderborn 07
Signings: Max Kruse (Free Agent), Laurin Curda (TSG Balingen), Kimberly Ezekwem (SC Freiburg), Adriano Grimaldi (1. FC Saarbrücken), Mattes Hansen (FC Schalke 04), David Kinsombi (SV Sandhausen), Maximilian Rohr (Hamburger SV, loan made permanent), Arne Schulz (Arminia Bielefeld), Visar Musliu (FC Ingolstadt 04), Filip Bilbija (Hamburger SV)
Returning from Loan: Robin Bormuth (1. FC Kaiserslautern), Marcel Mehlem (SV Sandhausen), Jesse Tugbenyo (SC Verl, end of loan), Johannes Dörfler (Waldhof Mannheim), Justus Henke (Wuppertaler SV)
Departures: Jonas Carls (Waldhof Mannheim), Bashir Humphreys (Chelsea, end of loan), Uwe Hünemeier (retired), Julian Justvan (TSG Hoffenheim), Marvin Pieringer (FC Schalke 04, end of loan), Ron Schallenberg (FC Schalke 04), Moritz Schulze (Hallescher SC), Dennis Srbeny (Greuther Fürth), Robin Bormouth (Karlsruher SC), Richard Tachie (1. FC Kaiserslautern), Jasper Van der Werff (Hansa Rostock, loan)
Hansa Rostock
Signings: Sarpreet Singh (Bayern München II), Serhat-Semih Güler (Wuppertaler SV), Oliver Hüsing (Arminia Bielefeld), Janik Bachmann (SV Sandhausen), Alexander Rossipal (Waldholf Mannheim), Sebastian Vasiliadis (Arminia Bielefeld), Salomon Patrick Amougou Nkoa (Rot-Weiß Erfurt), Christian Kinsombi (SV Sandhausen), Jasper Van der Werff (SC Paderborn 07, loan), Elias Höftmann (Hansa Rostock U19), Joshua Krüger (Hansa Rostock U19), Milosz Brzozowski (Hansa Rostock U19)
Returning from Loan: Theo Martens (Greifswalder FC)
Departures: Lukas Fröde (FC Ingolstadt 04), Dong-gyeong Lee (Ulsan Hyundai, end of loan), Anderson Lucoqui (1. FSV Mainz 05, end of loan), Rick van Drongelen (Union Berlin, end of loan), Ryan Malone (FC Ingolstadt 04), Haris Duljevic (without club), Ridge Munsy (without club), Maurice Litka (retired), Fredric Ananou (Sint-Truidense V.V.), Pascal Breier (Hansa Rostock II), Morris Schröter (1860 München), John Verhoek (without club)
FC Schalke 04
Signings: Ron Schallenberg (SC Paderborn 07), Paul Seguin (Union Berlin), Marius Müller (FC Luzern), Bryan Lasme (Arminia Bielefeld), Assan Ouédraogo (FC Schalke 04 U19), Lino Tempelmann (SC Freiburg)
Returning from Loan: Kerim Calhanoglu (SV Sandhausen), Florian Flick (1. FC Nürnberg), Blendi Idrizi (Jahn Regensburg), Jordan Larsson (Copenhagen), Marvin Pieringer (Paderborn), Reinhold Ranftl (Austria Wien), Dries Wouters (Mechelen)
Departures: Marius Bülter (TSG Hoffenheim), Eder Balanta (Club Brugge, end of loan), Can Bozdogan (Utrecht, loan made permanent), Kerim Calhanoglu (Greuther Fürth), Michael Frey (Royal Antwerp, end of loan), Amine Harit (Marseille, loan made permanent), Moritz Jenz (Lorient, end of loan), Timothee Kolodziekczak (without club), Alex Kral (Spartak Moscow, end of loan), Tom Krauß (RB Leipzig, end of loan), Jordan Larsson (Copenhagen, loan made permanent), Alexander Schwolow (Hertha BSC, end of loan), Tim Skarke (Union Berlin, end of loan), Jere Uronen (Stade Brest, end of loan), Sepp van den Berg (Liverpool, end of loan), Maya Yoshida (without club), Nassim Boujellab (Arminia Bielefeld), Dries Wouters (Lommel SK), Marvin Pieringer (1. FC Heidenheim), Rodrigo Zalazar (SC Braga)
St. Pauli
Signings: Karol Mets (Zürich, loan made permanent), Philipp Treu (Freiburg II), Hauke Wahl (Holstein Kiel), Bennet Wimmer (St. Pauli II), Andreas Albers (Jahn Regensburg), Danel Sinani (Norwich City FC)
Returning from Loan:
Departures: Christopher Avevor (without club), Marcel Beifus (Karlsruher SC), Betim Fazliji (St. Gallen), Igor Matanovic (Eintracht Frankfurt, end of loan), Leart Paqarada (1. FC Köln), Franz Roggow (Borussia Dortmund II), Dennis Smarsch (MSV Duisburg), Jannes Wieckhoff (Heracles Almelo), Luca Zander (SV Sandhausen), Lukas Daschner (VfL Bochum), David Otto (SV Sandhausen)
Wehen Wiesbaden
Signings: Antonio Jonjic (Erzgebirge Aue), Amar Catic (ADO Den Haag), Nassim Elourati (Wehen Wiesbaden U19), Martin Angha (Free Agent), Aleksandar Vukotic (SK Beveren), Marcus Mathisen (IK Sirius Football), Keanen Bennetts (SV Darmstadt 98), Hyun-ju Lee (Bayern München II, loan), Lasse Günther (FC Augsburg)
Returning from Loan: Amir Farouk (FSV Frankfurt)
Departures: Ahmet Gürleyen (1. FC Nürnberg), Brooklyn Ezeh (Hannover 96), Lukas Becker (Kickers Offenbach), Dominik Bauer (FC Eddersheim), Dennis Kempe (retired), Sebastian Mrowca (SC Preußen Münster), Lucas Brumme (without club), Johannes Wurtz (without club), Suheyel Najar (Viktoria Köln)