Liverpool director target Jorg Schmadtke's transfer hits and misses
Jorg Schmadtke’s transfer hits and fails: Liverpool’s new sporting director to-be counts rescuing Mame Biram Diouf and transforming Anthony Modeste on his wins… but one move looks a £130m miss!
- The director’s hits and misses in the transfer market make interesting reading
- Passing up on Victor Osimhen so early in his career looks to be a major error
- Who is Jorg Schmadtke and why are Liverpool moving for the retired executive?
Liverpool fans are currently scouring the internet for details on the man set to be their next sporting director.
It has long been a source of speculation over who will replace Julian Ward, the current incumbent, since he stated his intention to step down last November.
Liverpool had been linked with a number of candidates, including Paul Mitchell, who is currently with Monaco.
But Jorg Schmadtke, 59, a well-respected figure within German football, received a solid recommendation from manager Jurgen Klopp during discussions with club owners Fenway Sports Group and is now heading to the formalities of a contract.
Liverpool would mark a significant step up in terms of the size of club he has worked at – and with that brings a higher calibre of player.
Jorg Schamadtke is in advanced talks to become the new sporting director at Liverpool
Schmadtke is expected to sign a deal until June 2026 – the same time that Klopp’s deal expires
He has typically worked stringently to a budget – which no doubt appeals to owners FSG – and within those budgets he has successfully unearthed some gems and diamonds in the rough.
But there is also a global superstar that he dismissed early in his career that looks a ruinous decision.
So, Mail Sport looks at some of Schmadtke’s hits – and that cataclysmic miss – in the transfer market…
HITS
Anthony Modeste — Hoffenheim to Cologne (2015)
The veteran striker, now of Borussia Dortmund, was picked up by Schmadtke in Cologne in 2015.
He hit the ground running near the Rhine river with 18 goals across all competitions in his first season.
Modeste would kick on even further a season later when he fired 27 goals to propel his club to a fifth-placed finish in the Bundesliga.
Schmadtke had landed on a burgeoning star.
What followed then was an inevitable sale but having arrived in a deal worth close to £4m, he was sold for £35m to Chinese side Tianjin Quanjian, a club record sale.
Anthony Modeste would leave Cologne as their most expensive sale, leaving to play in China
Mame Biram Diouf – Manchester United to Hannover (2012)
A name familiar to Manchester United fans, Diouf wasn’t pulling up many trees at Old Trafford when he headed for Hannover in 2012.
Schmadtke didn’t have a huge budget to work with at Hannover – naturally – and so many of his moves needed to work out. Diouf felt like something of a swing.
But it worked out as the Senegalese striker, who pitched up in January 2012, bagged 10 goals in 15 appearances to round out 2011-12.
While there was disappointment at the club’s Europa League quarter-final loss to Atletico Madrid, Diouf scored in both legs of that tie and proved he was a man for the big occasion.
His reputation was restored when he left the club at the end of the 2013-14 season to try his hand once more in England with Stoke, and his dismal time at Manchester United had long been forgotten.
Diouf finished up at Hannover with 51 goal contributions from 71 games. An obvious hit from Schmadtke.
Mame Biram Diouf salvaged his career after struggling beforehand with Manchester United
Ron-Robert Zieler – Manchester United to Hannover (2010)
Now for another former Man United player.
Unlike Diouf this one was a free transfer and while there was little risk attached to the goalkeeper he proved a smart pick up.
And, interestingly, according to German newspaper Bild, should Schmadtke make the move to Anfield, Liverpool could be interested in securing the services of the experienced shot-stopper to act as cover for Brazilian No 1 Alisson.
If that does come to pass it speaks to how successful the marriage of Zieler and Schmadtke was at Hannover more than a decade ago.
After a first season where he made 15 appearances he quickly established himself as an ever-present and was made club captain in 2015, before going on to join Leicester City in 2016.
He is held in very high regard to this day by Hannover fans for his role in their aforementioned heroic Europa League quarter-final run.
Liverpool are said to be interested in signing Hannover captain Ron-Robert Zieler this summer
Maxence Lacroix – Sochaux to Wolfsburg (2020)
A more recent move saw him pick up 23-year-old centre back Lacroix.
Now turning heads among some of Europe’s biggest teams, few were taking any notice of Lacroix when he was in France’s second division with Sochaux.
Schmadtke was, and picked him up for a nominal fee, which has since rocketed if they cash in.
He has earned comparisons to Rio Ferdinand for his style, comfortable on the ball and good in the air, and both Southampton, who look set for relegation to the Championship, and Leicester City are reportedly keen.
He’s under contract until 2025 and should he go, Wolfsburg will be expecting a sizeable profit on the rising star.
Well played, Schmadtke.
Centre back Maxence Lacroix (right) has plenty of clubs watching him closely this summer
Wout Weghorst – AZ Alkmaar to Wolfsburg (2018)
What is it with Schmadtke and these links past and present to Manchester United?
Well, before Dutchman Weghorst was being derided for his minimal contribution at Old Trafford on loan this season he was elevating Wolfsburg.
The €10.5m fee looked shrewd as Weghorst had a decent reputation in the Netherlands and it is hard to argue that he didn’t live up to that in Germany.
He bagged more than 15 goals in each of his first two seasons with the team and then scored 20 in season three to establish himself as Wolfsburg’s second-highest Bundesliga scorer ever, on 59.
A successful Schmadtke move as he was eventually sold for profit to Burnley.
Wout Weghorst ignited his reputation as a prolific forward after joining Wolfsburg in 2018
MISSES
Victor Osimhen – Wolfsburg to Charleroi (2019)
Now, this is a real clanger.
For the first time in this list we’re looking at the calibre of player befitting of a club like Liverpool – and Schmadtke fumbled.
Granted, Osimhen in his early days at Wolfsburg wasn’t the player he is now, the one who fired Napoli to a first Scudetto in 33 years, but nonetheless it proved to be a costly mistake.
After 16 games without a goal, Schmadtke sanctioned for the Nigerian to head to Charleroi.
In Belgium Osimhen was prolific, finishing up his loan spell with 20 goals.
That loan deal included an option to buy, set at just over £3m and, of course, it was activated by Charleroi.
And so Wolfsburg and Schmadtke had to watch on as he went to Lille in that same window he moved to Charleroi for £19.5m, and then later to Napoli for north of £62m.
He’s now one of the most in-demand players in the world and can comfortably command a fee north of £100m.
A costly, costly miscalculation.
Passing up on Victor Osimhen so early in his career was an error now he is thriving at Napoli
PS
Here’s a bit of fun.
If you’re looking for a Liverpool link, well here’s one.
While working as sporting director for Alemannia Aachen, Schmadtke brought in ex-Liverpool cult hero Erik Meijer.
He arrived in the summer of 2003 and ‘Mad Erik’, as he was known, strolled in as the marquee name in that window.
The striker would bag 10 goals in his first season, help them qualify for the UEFA Cup after a miraculous run to the German Cup final, before becoming first team captain in 2004-05.
Meijer never featured much at Liverpool across a season and a half but did gain cult hero status, not least for the tale of him partying with Liverpool fans in Dortmund ahead of the 2001 UEFA Cup final.
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