VfL Osnabrück loses top player: Simakala moves to Azerbaijan!

VfL Osnabrück loses top player: Simakala moves to Azerbaijan!

VfL Osnabrück has officially confirmed the transfer of its striker Ba-Muaka Simakala to Araz-Naxçıvan PFK in Azerbaijan. This transfer does not come as a complete surprise as Simakala, who returned from Holstein Kiel in August 2022, has received less playing time recently. “We have agreed that a change is the best way for all sides,” said managing director Michael Welling. Loud liga3-online.de VfL will receive a transfer fee of around 200,000 euros for the move.

During his time at Osnabrück, which spanned two seasons, Simakala scored an impressive 39 points in 68 third division games, including 19 goals and nine assists in the decisive 2022/23 season, which ended with VfL's promotion to the 2nd Bundesliga. But the current season was sobering for him: Despite a solid first half of the season with eight scorer points in the first 15 games, he lost his regular place under coach Marco Antwerp and was not in the squad in seven games.

A new beginning in Azerbaijan

Now Simakala has signed a one-year contract with Araz-Naxçıvan and is looking for new challenges there. “Despite fewer appearances in training, he was always committed,” emphasized Welling. But the situation was obviously untenable, which is why Simakala asked for a change early on in order to try for a revitalizing new beginning. His second half of the season at Osnabrück only brought one more goal and the playing experience became sparser, which ultimately led to this step. According to the report by transfermarkt.de His contract in Osnabrück was valid for another year, which made this change necessary.

Simakala's departure makes him the eleventh player to leave VfL Osnabrück this summer, with preparations for the upcoming third division season already in full swing. The club has already presented various new additions, including Theo Janotta from BW Lohne and Robin Fabinski from Rot-Weiß Erfurt. As far as the future squad is concerned, many teams are active in the 3rd league and are bringing in fresh talent, while VfL Osnabrück has to focus more on closing the gaps that have arisen in a meaningful way.

The third division landscape is changing

The third division is in transition, and numerous clubs like SSV Ulm 1846 and Jahn Regensburg have already signed new players. Loud kicker.de Many teams are facing exciting challenges, while the first transfers have already been finalized in the league. The previous season showed that the competition in the promotion fight is strong, and Osnabrück will have to do everything they can to prepare for the coming season.

Simakala's move shows how quickly player careers can change in the third division. For some players, moving into new leagues can be just as important a step as getting into the first league. We can only hope that the striker finds his sporting happiness in Azerbaijan and that the football fans in Osnabrück will always look after him with benevolence.