Köln seek cut-rate attacking assistance in SV Ried’s Michael Martin

Sky’s German outfit reports that 1. FC Köln have their eye on German attacking midfielder currently playing in the Austrian Bundesliga. 

Twenty-two-year-old Crailsheim native Michael Martin continued his career in the Austrian top-flight after working in the youth academies of VfR Aalen, FC Heidenheim, and VfL Bochum. For a time he also played semi-pro football in Alzenau and Schwäbisch Hall. Marlon Irbacher of Sky Germany now reports that Germany’s cathedral city side are sufficiently impressed with the youngster’s development and wish to bring him to the Bundesliga.
The Baden-Württemberg native has managed to establish himself recently for Austria’s SV Ried. Martin has made 18 appearances for the “Guntamatics” this year, netting a goal apiece in both the league and ÖFB cup. The player’s current estimated market value is €400,000 in the latest tranafermarkt listings. In reporting on the rumor, Sky’s Irbacher notes that such a move “sounds like a typical Steffen Baumgart transfer.”

Baumgart and the 1. FC Köln administrative team augmented their attack this past offseason with relatively cheap purchases, shelling out €1.5 million each for Steffen Tigges and Sargis Adamyan. Additionally, Linton Maina was brought in from Hannover 96 on a free and Denis Huseinbasic was plucked from the German fourth division for a paltry €50,000. 

#effzeh: Michael Martin vom SV Ried steht auf der Liste des 1.FC Köln. 22 Jahre alt, zentraler Mittelfeldspieler. Hat beim VfL Bochum in der U19 gespielt. In dieser Saison Stammspieler in der Bundesliga Österreich. Klingt nach einem typischen Baumgart-Transfer. @SkySportNews

— Marlon Irlbacher (@Sky_Marlon89) November 14, 2022

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