Only loan affordable?

Sturm has no major stress when it comes to replacing Biereth

Sturm found the best training conditions in Marbella for a week, now it's on to Slovenia.

(Bild: Pail Sepp/Sepp Pail)

The first camp is over! Sturm spent a week sweating in the Spanish sun in glorious weather, and on Sunday afternoon the black squad returned home. Without Mika Biereth, for whom an adequate replacement must now be found. But affordable goal scorers are hard to come by and few and far between.

"When you lose your top scorer in the winter break, it's naturally a big loss," says Jürgen Säumel on the 21-year-old striker's departure to the Principality, "Mika was very, very important both on and off the pitch, i.e. in the dressing room." The Sturm coach is not just mourning Biereth's 14 goals this season. "But the change is also an opportunity for other players, on the other hand we all agree that we want to do something on the transfer market. We still have a bit of time. And we are well prepared," emphasizes Säumel.

Mika was very, very important both on and off the pitch, i.e. in the dressing room.

Sturm-Trainer Jürgen Säumel

The transfer window in Germany ends on February 6, by which time neo-sporting director Michael Parensen must have found a replacement for Biereth. While still in Marbella, the sporting management sat together with the Sturm scouts in the Hotel Kempinksi and talked shop. Because a goal scorer of Biereth's quality is hardly financially feasible for Sturm in the winter transfer window, it will probably end up being a loan deal.

Is a Juve defender coming?
"We are in talks, but the new player is not yet eligible to play in the Champions League anyway, so we have time. But of course: as a coach, I want to have the squad together as quickly as possible," says Säumel, who describes the recent Spain camp as a success: "Good pitch, good test opponents." The only fly in the ointment: "The fact that we've already had two games in the first week isn't exactly standard. But that's due to the Champions League and therefore necessary. We could have done with a training session or two."

Head of sport Michael Parensen is on the lookout for a new Biereth.

(Bild: Pail Sepp/Sepp Pail)

The next training session takes place today in Messendorf. Unpacking suitcases hardly pays off for professionals, as the league leaders are already leaving for Čatež on Tuesday. A three-day short camp including two test matches will take place in Slovenia.

Will Biereth's successor be involved? Perhaps a new defensive player. According to the Italian media, Sturm are said to be interested in Dutch right-back Livano Comenencia (20) from Juventus II. The double winners are known to be looking for a defender after the Gazibegovic transfer.