Hertha BSC receives defensive reinforcements. That is now certain. Only when this reinforcement will come, that is still open. Fredi Bobic, sports manager of the Berlin Bundesliga team, confirmed on Sunday on “Bild” TV that Agustin Rogel, 24, is moving to Berlin.
The central defender from Uruguay is under contract with the Argentinian first division club Estudiantes de la Plata until the end of the year. Then at the latest he will switch to Hertha on a free transfer. However, the club are working to sign him during the current transfer window, which ends at 6pm next Thursday. There would definitely be a need.
Hertha lost four central defenders this summer – Niklas Stark, Jordan Torunarigha, Omar Alderete and Dedryck Boyata – and currently only four central defenders under contract. Last Saturday, in the game against Borussia Dortmund, the personnel situation was particularly precarious. Since Filip Uremovic was suspended and Linus Gechter was not fit after his cold, coach Sandro Schwarz was only available for Marc Kempf and Marton Dardai.
When Kempf had to leave the field after being injured in the second half, Schwarz switched to a three-man chain – with the two full-backs Marvin Plattenhardt and Jonjoe Kenny. Rogel would be another central defense specialist, unlike Plattenhardt and Kenny. “A very robust central defender, tall and good in tackles,” said coach Sandro Schwarz about the 24-year-old.
There could also be some movement in Hertha’s squad before the transfer closes. Left-back Fredrik Björkan was absent from the training session on Sunday. “The background is that he will leave us,” said coach Schwarz.
Björkan was already in the stands as a spectator at Feyenoord Rotterdam’s game against FC Emmen on Saturday. The people of Rotterdam initially loan the 24-year-old Norwegian until the end of the season and can then sign him for an alleged three million euros. According to media reports from the Netherlands, both clubs have agreed on these modalities.
Björkan only came to Berlin on a free transfer from Bodö/Glimt in January. However, the Norwegian international (six caps) was not able to live up to expectations. He only made nine appearances for Hertha in the second half of last season and was only twice in the starting XI.
This season, Björkan failed to make the squad for any of the five competitive games. Behind captain Marvin Plattenhardt and Maximilian Mittelstädt he was only number three left-back. Mittelstädt had also thought about changing clubs in the meantime. But with Björkan’s departure, such considerations have now become obsolete. “Maxi is firmly planned,” said coach Schwarz on Sunday.
