1. FC Union Berlin completed two significant transfers on deadline day. The club officially signed Kastriot Imeri and sold Ilyas Ansah for a record fee, as reported by various media outlets.
Who is new midfielder Kastriot Imeri?
Kastriot Imeri joins from BSC Young Boys for a fixed transfer fee of 2.4 million euros. The 26-year-old Swiss international signed a contract with Union Berlin until 2030, as reported by n-tv.de. Imeri can be deployed on either wing or in central midfield. Last season, he played on loan for FC Thun and won the Swiss championship there under Union's current coach Mauro Lustrinelli.
For Young Boys, the versatile attacker made 79 competitive appearances. He scored ten goals and provided ten assists in those matches. With the Bern club, Imeri won the double in 2023 and the championship again a year later. His experience and flexibility are expected to offer new options for Lustrinelli's squad.
Why did Union Berlin sell Ilyas Ansah?
Union Berlin executed the most expensive departure in the club's history on deadline day. German U21 international Ilyas Ansah moved to Premier League newcomers Hull City for a fee of up to 24 million euros, TAG24 reported. The club had signed the winger from SC Paderborn for around four million euros just a year ago. The estimated financial profit of roughly 20 million euros within one season was decisive for the officials around sporting director Horst Heldt.
The sporting loss due to the departure of the 21-year-old is nevertheless noticeable. Ansah had a mixed season after a blistering start with four goals. For Hull City, the transfer sum represents a relatively cheap deal given the high prices in the English top flight. The player himself stated he had fulfilled a childhood dream of playing in the Premier League.
What is Union Berlin's current league standing?
The Iron Ones started the new Bundesliga season with one point from one match. After a 3:3 draw against Eintracht Frankfurt, Union Berlin occupies ninth place ahead of the next matchday. The record from one game shows three goals scored and three conceded. This places Mauro Lustrinelli's team two points behind leaders Bayern Munich in the standings.
The next challenge awaits on November 21 with a home match against currently fourth-placed RB Leipzig. The full schedule for Köpenick can be found on our fixtures page. The current Bundesliga table is available at standings.
What does this mean for Mauro Lustrinelli's team?
Coach Mauro Lustrinelli must recalibrate his squad following the transfer activity. The departure of Ansah and the signing of Imeri change the offensive options. Previously, the exits of Danilho Doekhi and Diogo Leite had already impacted the central defence, for which Felix Uduokhai and Stanley Nsoki were brought in as replacements. Lustrinelli favours a 4-2-2-2 system and demands intensity and quick transitions from his team.
In pre-season, Union won only three of ten friendly matches. The competitive season started with a 4:2 DFB-Pokal win against Eintracht Braunschweig. The first Bundesliga match against Frankfurt ended 3:3 after a late comeback. The team is showing promising signs in attack but needs to work on defensive stability. You can check the current squad with all new signings on our squad page. New signing Imeri's contract runs until the summer of 2030.
