WAC talent turns pro

Austria Klagenfurt worth 45 percent less

One of the hottest Austria stocks: talented defender Jannik Robatsch.

(Bild: GEPA/GEPA pictures)

The market value of Austria Klagenfurt's squad has never been lower since the club entered the Bundesliga. Even in the promotion season, the squad was more expensive than it is now. The sports boss continues to look for reinforcements. The WAC has signed a talented player on a long-term contract. . .

Everyone knows: The bloodletting at Austria Klagenfurt this summer was huge. Eight real mainstays have left the club. Young, hungry players with potential were brought in - most of them with little or no Bundesliga experience.

Peter Pacult still has a lot of work to do after the bloodletting.

(Bild: GEPA/GEPA pictures)

And this is also reflected in the overall market value of the "Violets". This year, coach Peter Pacult's squad is the least valuable in the entire Bundesliga for the first time since promotion to the Bundesliga in 2021 - the squad is currently worth €6.75 million.

Market values of the clubs

1. Salzburg (177.80 million euros)
2. Sturm (64.40 million euros)
3. LASK (44.20 million euros)
4. Rapid (28.85 million euros)
5. Austria Vienna (17.63 million euros)
6. WAC (14.68 million euros)
7. Hartberg (12 million euros)
8. Altach (10 million euros)
9. Blau-Weiß Linz (8.70 million euros)
10. GAK (8.05 million euros)
11. WSG Tirol (7.18 million euros)
12. Austria Klagenfurt (6.75 million euros)

Salzburg as league king
In comparison: Salzburg is the top club in the league with €177.80 million, ahead of Sturm (€64.40 million). In third place is LASK (€44.20 million). Even WSG Tirol - in second-last place in the ranking - is "worth" more than Waidmannsdorf at €7.18 million.

Kickers like Andy Irving (center) drove up the market value of Klagenfurt.

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

More expensive in the promotion season than now
If you take a closer look, it gets interesting: even at the start of the 2021 Bundesliga promotion season, Austria Klagenfurt was "more valuable" than it is now - at €8.70 million back then, that's a whole 22.4 percent less! Of course, they had a much more bloated squad back then.

At the start of the 2022 championship, all Austrian players together "cost" as much as €10.08 million - that's 33% less now!

In 2023, it was 9.83 million, i.e. 31.3 percent less.

It becomes even more striking when you compare the squad with the one at the end of last season: Irving and Co. came to 12.38 million euros. In other words, the current squad is worth almost half as much - a good 45 percent!

Günther Gorenzel (left) sees a lot of potential in the team.

(Bild: Kuess Josef/Kuess)

"Within the scope of our economic possibilities, we are in a good position with a team that has a lot of potential," says Head of Sport Günther Gorenzel. Knowing full well that shares such as Toshevski, Spari or Robatsch could shoot up in value!

Is there still more to come? "That could go on until the last transfer day on September 5. If we do, then we will only bring in fully-funded players who will help us immediately," reveals the ever-eager sports boss.

„Keine 800.000 Euro für einen Außenverteidiger!“

WAC-Youngster erhält seinen ersten Profivertrag

League rivals WAC are also taking a critical look at the transfer market. It is currently becoming increasingly difficult to land domestic players for realistic sums - something President Dietmar Riegler knows a thing or two about. "Putting €800,000 on the table for a full-back - that doesn't work for me," he growls.

Erik Kojzek (left) signed his first professional contract with the Wolves.

(Bild: GEPA/GEPA pictures)

That's why they're also looking at their own youngsters, or more precisely at high-flyer Erik Kojzek (18)! Born in Slovenia, he came through almost the entire WAC youth ranks, joining the Lavanttal club from NK Korotan in 2018. The powerhouse performed so bravely in preparation, in the cup and in the derby that he was allowed to sign his first professional contract (until 2027) on Friday. Coach Kühbauer even included him in the starting eleven for the match against Austria Vienna on Sunday.