Fortuna Düsseldorf’s squad planning is currently underway, and one of the key decisions that need to be made is the contract extension of their captain, Andre Hoffmann. The 30-year-old defender, who joined the team in 2017 from Hannover 96, has been an integral part of the squad. However, he represents a lack of further development after relegation and the missed return to the Bundesliga.
Hoffmann’s contract expires at the end of the season, and the team is weighing their options carefully. The bosses are enthusiastic about his appearance off the field, especially his ability to express himself to the media. They also recognize his athletic ability if he is fit and playing. But they have concerns about his susceptibility to injury and how long it takes for him to recover from those injuries.
In the first half of the season, he missed nine games because of a muscle injury. Hoffmann also had to step back from the training camp in Marbella due to muscular problems. While the quality of his leadership on the pitch is also up for debate internally, there is a tendency towards extending his contract if he wants to.
Fortuna Düsseldorf needs to strengthen all parts of the team if promotion is finally going to succeed. They need a replacement for Dawid Kownacki, who is 25 years old, and the defense needs to remain in place, even if it has been crumbling recently. There will be four more central defenders in the squad next season – Jordy de Wijs, Christoph Klarer, Tim Oberdorf, and Jamil Siebert.
De Wijs is hoping to continue his top-notch performances from last season, while the future belongs to Klarer and Siebert. Siebert is impressing on loan at Viktoria Köln, and Oberdorf consistently delivers his best. With these options in place, the team has no pressure to extend their captain’s contract.
