Two-year contract

New “millionaire” striker still in South Africa

Antonio Van Wyk (r.) arrives from Stellenbosch FC.

(Bild: picturedesk.com/Nic Bothma / PA / picturedesk.com)

Ried's new attacker Antonio Van Wyk (22) has already signed a two-year contract with the 2nd division leaders - but the medical check and the red-white-red card are still pending. If everything goes according to plan, the South African will become the second most expensive player in the 2nd division.

He is currently still in South Africa and is waiting for an appointment at the embassy in Pretoria - but Antonio Van Wyk (22) has already signed a two-year contract in Ried. "However, the transfer is only finalized when he passes our medical check and receives the red-white-red card," said sporting director Wolfgang Fiala, who did not contribute as much as usual to the transfer of Beganovic's replacement, who, with a market value of one million euros, will be the second most expensive player in the 2nd division behind Liefering's Edmund Baidoo (1.20 million).

Co-coach as whisperer
"Moritz Kossmann, our new assistant coach and head analyst, lived in South Africa for 15 years and coached Van Wyk there for five years. At a squad meeting, Moritz pointed out to us that he knew a player who exactly matched the profile we were looking for," said Fiala, who was unable to present a central defender on the last transfer day as planned, meaning they had to fall back on a player without a contract.

Bundesliga club Blau-Weiß, on the other hand, did get their act together, bringing central defender Silvan Wallner (22) to Linz from Swiss first division club FC Zurich.