Transfer Ticker: BVB loans Ramaj again, Itten becomes a Fortune

• BVB loans goalkeeper Ramaj to Heidenheim
• Fortuna Düsseldorf finds Kownacki replacement
• Bayer Leverkusen brings Alfa-Ruprecht from England
• Ticker: All transfers and changes of the NRW clubs

Borussia Dortmund is loaning goalkeeper Diant Ramaj to league rivals 1. FC Heidenheim for one year. As BVB announced on Monday, the deal does not include an option to buy. Dortmund signed the 23-year-old from Ajax Amsterdam in February and immediately transferred him to FC Copenhagen. "After his successful loan in Copenhagen, we are delighted that he can now prove himself in the Bundesliga with 1. FC Heidenheim," said BVB sporting director Sebastian Kehl. In the second half of last season, Ramaj made 19 appearances for Copenhagen, winning the Danish championship and the Danish cup. Gregor Kobel is BVB's first-choice goalkeeper.

After a test of patience, Fortuna Düsseldorf has signed its dream attacking player. The 28-year-old Swiss Cedric Itten joins from Young Boys Bern and is set to replace Dawid Kownacki, who now plays for league rivals Hertha BSC. Itten, Fortuna's ninth signing this summer, reportedly cost just over one million euros. He scored 48 goals and provided 20 assists in 128 competitive matches for Young Boys.

Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen has signed Farid Alfa-Ruprecht. The 19-year-old German youth international is transferring from Manchester City's U21 team and has signed a contract with Leverkusen until June 2030, Bayer announced on Sunday. According to media reports, a transfer fee of just over one million euros is due for the winger.

Leverkusen has signed their next top talent, Malian striker Ndjicoura Bomba. The 17-year-old will join the Rhineland from his hometown club CS Bamako as soon as he turns 18 in March.

Borussia Mönchengladbach has signed striker Shuto Machino from Bundesliga relegated side Holstein Kiel. As Borussia announced on Saturday, the 25-year-old signed a contract with the Bundesliga club until June 30, 2029.

Midfielder Luca Herrmann is leaving SC Paderborn and joining Dynamo Dresden. The 26-year-old returns to the Saxon club after a year. The two clubs have agreed not to disclose the terms of the transfer. The former German youth international made 20 appearances in the last season.

Borussia Dortmund is further thinning its expanded squad. Winger Guillermo Bueno (22) is leaving BVB and joining Spanish first division relegated side Real Valladolid, as his new club announced on X. Last season, the Spaniard was on loan to second division club Darmstadt 98, otherwise playing primarily for BVB's reserve team. Bueno moved to the Ruhr region from Deportivo Fabril in Spain in 2021. However, he never made a professional appearance for Dortmund.

Following the departure of Alassane Plea and the extended absence of Tim Kleindienst, Bundesliga football club Borussia Mönchengladbach appears to have found a first solution to its personnel shortages in attack: Haris Tabakovic. The club announced on Friday that the 31-year-old will join on a season-long loan from TSG Hoffenheim. The center forward scored just three goals in 22 appearances for TSG last season, usually as a substitute. He made three appearances in the cup, scoring once.

Bundesliga newcomer 1. FC Köln has signed right-back Sebastian Sebulonsen from Bröndby IF in Denmark. The 25-year-old Norwegian has signed a contract with Cologne until the summer of 2028, FC announced on Friday. According to unconfirmed media reports, the transfer fee is said to be around three million euros. Sebulonsen is not yet a senior international for his country.

Attacker Koen Kostons is leaving SC Paderborn and returning to his native Netherlands. The 25-year-old is joining Eredivisie side PEC Zwolle. The two clubs have agreed not to disclose the terms of the transfer. Kostons moved to Paderborn in January 2024. In the second half of the last second division season, the attacker was loaned to Belgian second division side KV Kortrijk.

Women's Bundesliga club SGS Essen has signed Shari van Belle. The 25-year-old midfielder joins from Belgian first division club Standard Liège.

After seven years, Alassane Plea is leaving Borussia Mönchengladbach and joining PSV Eindhoven. A transfer fee of four million euros is being discussed for the 32-year-old, who was under contract with Gladbach until 2026. Plea joined from Nice in 2018 for 23 million euros, making him the most expensive signing in Borussia's history.

Third-division club SC Verl has loaned striker Chilohem Onuoha from 1. FC Köln again. The 20-year-old attacker already played for the East Westphalian club on loan last season.

Goalkeeper Matej Kovar (25) is leaving German runner-up Bayer Leverkusen and joining PSV Eindhoven on loan. If "certain criteria are met," according to a statement from the Rhineland club, the Dutch champions are obligated to purchase the Czech. Kovar's contract with Leverkusen runs until June 30, 2027.

Former U21 European champion Paul Jaeckel (26) is leaving Union Berlin and will play for second-division club Preußen Münster. The central defender hopes the move will allow him to establish himself as a regular starter. In Münster, he will replace Lukas Frenkert in central defense, who was transferred to Braunschweig in June. Jaeckel played there on loan last season.

Second-division football club SC Paderborn has signed former youth international Stefano Marino. The 21-year-old comes from the Hannover 96 U23 team and trained at Karlsruher SC. Center forward Marino is already participating in the training camp in Austria.

Bundesliga club 1. FC Köln has brought back Polish international Weronika Zawistowska from double-winner Bayern Munich. The 25-year-old attacker, who previously played for FC Köln from 2021 to 2023, signed a contract until June 30, 2027. Zawistowska most recently played for Poland at the European Championship in Switzerland.

Midfielder Annalena Rieke is leaving SGS Essen and moving to Italian club AS Roma. According to the club, the 26-year-old is fulfilling a lifelong dream. "I am very grateful that AS Roma saw their request as a unique opportunity for me and made this step possible," said Rieke.

VfL Bochum and Agon Elezi have mutually agreed to terminate his contract. The 24-year-old North Macedonian joined Bochum in January 2024 and has since played in only one DFB Cup match.

Viktoria Köln has strengthened its attacking squad with the signing of Leander Popp. The 20-year-old joins on a one-year loan from SpVgg Greuther Fürth.

Before starting their training camp in Brazil, Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen has signed Malik Tillman from Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven. The 23-year-old US international has signed a contract until 2030.

Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen has signed another young striker. The Rhinelanders are strengthening their attacking lineup with the signing of 18-year-old Christian Kofane from Spanish second division club Albacete Balompié. The club announced that the Cameroonian has signed a contract until June 30, 2029.

Bayer's sporting director Simon Rolfes describes Kofane as an "extremely powerful and fast striker." "He will add even more variety to our game," Rolfes said. Kofane scored eight goals in 20 matches for the Spanish club after the winter break.

Second division club Arminia Bielefeld is losing one of its promotion heroes. Louis Oppie is leaving Arminia and joining Bundesliga club FC St. Pauli. The club announced this on Friday. The transfer fee for the 23-year-old was kept confidential.

The undisputed regular in Bielefeld made 71 third-division appearances for Arminia over two years, scoring seven goals. He contributed two goals and one assist to Bielefeld's fairytale run to the DFB Cup final against VfB Stuttgart (2:4).

Third-division club Viktoria Köln has signed a new defender. Verthomy Bobby, a native of Cologne, joins Höhenberg from Belgian first-division club Standard Liège. Bobby impressed the club as a guest player in friendlies against SC Wiedenbrück and Bonner SC.

"We are very pleased that Verthomy has chosen us. He has made a strong impression in training – he also fits in very well with our team on a personal level. Therefore, we wish him, and of course us, that he takes the next step, continues to develop with us, and helps us further in our sporting careers," said Cologne sporting director Stephan Küsters.

Second-division football club Fortuna Düsseldorf continues to aggressively rebuild its squad for the upcoming season. Last season's sixth-place finisher strengthens its attack with Christian Rasmussen from Ajax Amsterdam, its eighth signing. The Danish U21 international has been signed permanently; as usual, the club has not disclosed the length of his contract.

Rasmussen (22) made a total of 22 appearances for Ajax last season in league, Europa League, and cup matches. Previously, the left-footer, who can play on the right wing or as a number 10, was on loan to Danish first division club FC Nordsjælland for a year.

1. FC Köln has loaned Jaka Cuber Potocnik to third-division club Rot-Weiss Essen for the upcoming season. The 20-year-old Slovenian will "take the next steps in his development" at RWE, the Cologne club announced. "It's crucial for Jaka that he gains match practice week after week. He's now outgrown our U21 team, while his chances of playing time in the Bundesliga are still limited," explained Lukas Berg, Cologne's technical director.

Fortuna Düsseldorf has completed its goalkeeping trio with Marcel Lotka from Borussia Dortmund. The 24-year-old will wear the number one jersey for the Rhinelanders; the club has not disclosed the term of his contract.

Striker Damion Downs has rejected a contract extension offer from newly promoted Bundesliga club 1. FC Köln and is moving to Southampton in the English second division. The club announced this on Wednesday. Sporting director Thomas Kessler spoke of a favorable financial framework for the transfer. A transfer fee of eight million euros plus bonuses, which could amount to more than two million euros, is rumored.

Arminia Bielefeld has strengthened its squad with the signing of Florian Micheler from TSG Hoffenheim. The 20-year-old midfielder will join the squad on a one-year loan and will begin training this Wednesday. Both clubs have agreed not to disclose the loan details.

"Florian is a very talented, versatile central midfielder who, despite his young age, possesses strategic skills and, with his game intelligence and ball control, fits perfectly with us. He is ready to take the next step in his development. We are convinced that he has the potential to assert himself in the 2. Bundesliga and are delighted that he has chosen us," said Sporting Director Michael Mutzel, describing the new signing.

Arminia Bielefeld has signed attacking all-rounder Marvin Mehlem. The 27-year-old joins the newly promoted second division club from English second division club Hull City and is scheduled to participate in Arminia's team training for the first time on Wednesday.

Third-division club Alemannia Aachen and Leandro Putaro are going their separate ways with immediate effect. Aachen announced that they have jointly decided to terminate his contract. The midfielder is moving to the capital city to join regional league club BFC Dynamo, where he was unveiled as a new signing on Monday. The 28-year-old only made ten competitive appearances for Aachen last season due to recurring injury problems.

Soumaïla Coulibaly is leaving Borussia Dortmund and returning to his homeland in France. As announced by BVB, the 21-year-old central defender is moving to Racing Strasbourg. He signed a contract with the Ligue 1 club until 2029. Coulibaly already played on loan in the French league with Stade Brest last season.

Ron-Robert Zieler is leaving second-division club Hannover 96 and returning to his youth club, 1. FC Köln. The 36-year-old goalkeeper has signed a two-year contract with the newly promoted Bundesliga club.

SC Preußen Münster has signed defender Marco Meyerhöfer. The 29-year-old was most recently under contract with SpVgg Greuther Fürth and joins the Hammer Straße club with 116 second-division and 26 first-division appearances to his name. Meyerhöfer will be on the training ground with his new teammates as early as Tuesday.

Defender Kevin Vogt is leaving Bundesliga club 1. FC Union Berlin and returning to his hometown after 13 years. The 33-year-old, born in Witten, has signed a contract with VfL Bochum until June 30, 2027, the club announced. Vogt trained at VfL and also played the first of his 353 Bundesliga matches there.

The former youth international has only been used sporadically at Union recently. The transfer details have not been disclosed.

Bundesliga newcomers 1. FC Köln have loaned Rasmus Carstensen out again. The 24-year-old full-back will play for Danish first division club Aarhus GF next season. The club also has an option to buy. Carstensen joined the Rhinelanders in the summer of 2023; in the second half of the last season, he was already on loan to Polish first division club Lech Poznan.

The Dane made 15 appearances for Poznan last season and won the Polish championship. Since joining Cologne, the right-footer has made 23 Bundesliga appearances and three appearances in the 2. Bundesliga.

Goalkeeper Tobias Sippel is staying with Borussia Mönchengladbach. The 37-year-old has extended his expiring contract by another year until 2026. The veteran will remain part of the goalkeeping team in the new season, while also being trained for his future role as youth goalkeeping coach. Sippel has worn the Borussia jersey since 2015 and has made a total of 26 competitive appearances for the Foals.

Bundesliga newcomer 1. FC Köln has signed midfielder Tom Krauß from league rivals FSV Mainz 05. Both clubs announced the deal on Saturday evening. The 24-year-old signed a one-year loan deal, with Cologne retaining an option to buy him for an undisclosed amount. Krauß has made 76 Bundesliga appearances for Leipzig, Schalke, Mainz, and most recently on loan with relegated Bochum.

Jamie Gittens' transfer from Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund to Chelsea FC is complete. The 20-year-old has signed a contract with the Premier League club until 2032, as the London club confirmed on Saturday after reaching the semifinals of the Club World Cup. The transfer fee, including potential bonuses, is said to be €65 million.

Polish international Jakub Kaminski is moving within the Bundesliga from VfL Wolfsburg to 1. FC Köln. Both clubs confirmed this. The 23-year-old winger will initially be loaned to the newly promoted side for one season, as both clubs announced this evening. Wolfsburg paid a transfer fee of ten million euros for Kaminski when he moved to Germany three years ago.

1. FC Köln has signed youth player Emin Kujovic to a professional contract. The deal runs until 2028. The Bundesliga club now plans to loan the 20-year-old for the upcoming season so he can gain "regular match practice at a high level." On Monday, the midfielder, who joined FC from Fortuna Köln in 2020, will begin his first professional training session.

After tough negotiations, Jamie Gittens will move from Borussia Dortmund to English Premier League club Chelsea. All parties involved agreed to this at the Club World Cup in Fort Lauderdale, the Bundesliga club announced. Contract details are still to be finalized, the club added.

The winger had already completed his medical with the Blues last weekend. However, the 20-year-old Englishman subsequently returned to Dortmund's team headquarters in Fort Lauderdale because the agreement was dragging on.

Goalkeeper Emilia Navarro has been playing for SGS Essen since 2018. Next season, the 17-year-old will be part of the professional squad for the first time. As the club announced on Thursday, Navarro has signed a contract for the Bundesliga squad.

"Emilia impressed us in the training sessions. She is very hardworking, eager to learn, and has a great character," said team manager Robert Augustin.

Fortuna Düsseldorf has loaned Greek international Sotiris Alexandropoulos. The midfielder is moving to Düsseldorf from traditional Portuguese club Sporting Lisbon for an initial season. Fortuna also secured a purchase option for the 23-year-old. "Sotiris is a typical box-to-box player and thus a further building block for driving our game forward from midfield with even greater dynamism," said Düsseldorf's sporting director Klaus Allofs.

RB Leipzig has secured the services of Max Finkgräfe. The 21-year-old left-back joins from newly promoted 1. FC Köln and has signed a long-term contract with the Saxon club until June 30, 2030. Finkgräfe has made 40 competitive appearances for the Cologne club over the past two seasons, including 24 in the Bundesliga (one goal).

Bayer Leverkusen has transferred its Bosnian U-19 international Kerim Alajbegovic to Red Bull Salzburg. The 17-year-old is expected to sign a long-term contract with the top Austrian club. Bayer has secured a buy-back option. The midfielder has already trained with the first team but has yet to make a competitive appearance for the first team.

Rot-Weiss Essen is strengthening its right-back position by loaning Jannik Hofmann from second-division club 1. FC Nürnberg. The 23-year-old was most recently loaned to VfB Stuttgart's reserve team for six months, appearing in 14 third-division matches.

Bayer Leverkusen has signed defender and U21 European champion Jarell Quansah from Liverpool FC. The 22-year-old signed a contract with the runners-up until June 30, 2030. Quansah will help fill the void left by international Jonathan Tah's move to FC Bayern Munich.

Attacker Benjamin Boakye is moving from VfB Stuttgart's reserve team to newly promoted second-division club Arminia Bielefeld. The 20-year-old is leaving the Swabian club after nine and a half years. Last season, the winger appeared in 32 third-division matches, scoring five goals, including a goal against his new club (3-0). A sporting highlight for him was his six-minute Champions League debut for VfB's first team against Red Star Belgrade.

"With his speed, his strengths in one-on-one situations and his dynamism, Benjamin can create goal-scoring opportunities in many situations and brings exactly what we want for our game," said sporting director Michael Mutzel in a statement from Bielefeld.

Second division club Schalke 04 has signed central defender Nikola Katic from FC Zurich. The 28-year-old was considered a preferred player by new coach Miron Muslic, who had previously worked with Katic at Plymouth Argyle.

Franci Bouebari is moving to third-division club Rot-Weiss Essen. The French left-back joins on loan from Bundesliga club SC Freiburg. Last season, he made 24 appearances for Freiburg's reserve team in the Regionalliga Südwest. "He's very dynamic, very strong in duels, and overall a true athlete," said RWE sporting director Marcus Steegmann.

Attacker Oliver Batista Meier will continue playing in the 2. Bundesliga even after SSV Ulm 1846's relegation. The 24-year-old is moving to SC Preußen Münster after six months in Ulm, as both clubs announced. Ulm announced that the Prussians exercised an exit clause in the attacker's contract, which he joined from Dynamo Dresden during the winter break.

Our sources:

• News agencies SID and dpa
• Press releases from the clubs

• WDR
• 2. Bundesliga
• football
• Bundesliga
• 3rd League