Seven advisors offer same players

In his first few months as Sports Director at Bayer Leverkusen, the former national team player Simon Rolfes experienced one or two oddities in the professional business up close.

“I was surprised at how many WhatsApp messages you get and that the same player is being offered by seven different advisors,” Rolfes told the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger: “I had to smile.”

Otherwise “he wasn’t really surprised, I experienced the business as a professional from the cabin. 15 years of professional experience can’t be learned.” In addition, he could “always coordinate and agree with Rudi Völler (managing director, editor), who has experienced everything in football”. Rolfes took up his post at the beginning of December.

After the commitments of Kerem Demirbay, Moussa Diaby and Daley Sinkgraven, the plans for the coming season are probably not yet complete. “There may still be something going on. That also depends on possible exits,” says Rolfes: “The market is still relatively calm.