Football Season Guide

FC Zürich

In


Wilfried Gnonto (att) (Inter U19), Zivko Kostadinovic (gk) (FC Will 1900), Tobias Schattin (def) (FC Winterhur), Novem Baumann (gk) (FC Zurich U21), Stephan Seiler (mid) (FC Zurich U21), Albin Sadrijaj (mid) (SC Kriens), Silvan Wallner (def) (FC Zurich U21), Filip Frei (def) (FC Zurich U21), Maren Haile-Selassie (mid) (NE Xamax), Salim Khelifi (att) (Holstein Kiel), Osman Hadzikic (gk) (Inter Zapresic), Assan Ceesay (att) (VfL Osnabruck) , Lasse Sobiech (def) (Koln)

Out


Kevin Rüegg (r) (def) (Hellas Verona), Sangone Sarr (sp) (mid) (FC Schaffhausen), Osman Hadzikic (sp) (gk) (Admira Wacker), Mimoun Mahi (r) (att) (FC Utrecht), Ilan Sauter (sp) (def) (FC Will 1900), Yann Kasai (att) (released), Pa Modou (sp) (def) (released), Andris Vanins (sp) (gk) (released), Michael (def) (released), Levan Kharabadze (r) (def) (Dinamo Tbilisi - loan ended), Mads Pedersen (sp) (def) (FC Augsburg - loan ended)

Zurich are coming from another season of midtable mediocrity, with the pandemic and the resulting financial uncertainty most likely being the only reason why Ludovic Magnin is still in the job. Magnin, who has joined in 2018, has never really gotten FCZ to reach the level he was hoping for, although there is a huge question mark over whether he had the financial backing to do so. The core of the squad is still together, with the most notable departure being the one of Kevin Ruegg, who has joined Verona. Former wonder kid Salim Khelifi is back from loan in Germany and will try to finally live up to his potential, while Assan Ceesay is also back from loan and it is currently unclear if he will stay. The uncertainty regarding the pandemic has also had an effect on Zurich's transfer dealings and the sole genuinely new player who is expected to become a regular is Lasse Sobiech, who signs from Koln. A notable thing that happened to Zurich during the break is that the promising Vasilije Janjicic has been diagnosed with cancer. The club have not revealed that type or the severity of the disease, but there is little doubt that everything positive that the Zurichers do in the early stages of the season will be dedicated to the midfielder.

Target


Zurich are worlds away from the force they were a decade ago and have done nothing to strengthen. They will be hoping for an upper midtable finish.