1. FC Köln will Höwedes - daran hakt der Deal

​A few days ago the Express reported that the 1. FC Köln are said to be interested in signing ex-national player Benedikt Höwedes . In the meantime, discussions with Lok Moscow seem to be in advanced, but not yet final, form. Horst Heldt in particular is said to be fighting for Höwedes' services at the forefront.

The mixture of ambition, tackle and header strength, as positive qualities of the defender Benedikt Höwedes, could help 1. FC Köln in the fight against relegation. Horst Heldt, managing director of Effzeh, still knows Höwedes very well from their time together at Schalke 04 - Markus Gisdol also worked at Königsblau at the time (at Huub Stevens' side). All three want to make it possible to return to Germany together, but the talks still seem to be stuck. 

Cologne would like a loan with an option to buy – Moscow would have to let a regular player go with Höwedes

However, the fact that Höwedes is Cologne's clear target does not prompt his current club Lok Moscow to simply let him go. In the Russian capital, he is an important regular player with a contract until 2021. As the picture and the Cologne city indicator report, efforts are being made to get a loan with a subsequent purchase option. The possible option of staying in Germany after the second half of the season is also important for the 31-year-old, they say. After all, he would like to return home anyway - also because his wife and son live in Düsseldorf. 

"First of all, we want to find a good solution for the player and then for us as a club," Lok boss Vasily Kiknadze is quoted as saying by Sport1 , but negotiations are never that easy. Höwedes would also have to forego salary for the loan to Cologne. The approximately three million euros that he gets in Moscow would not be manageable for the Rheinklub. That seems to be the smallest problem in poker for the central defender. However, he should still get his salary from Lok Moscow, because according to the picture , payments from last year are still outstanding. 

Benedikt Höwedes could return to Germany in January

On the one hand, hope is given by the already successful talks between Effzeh and Höwedes themselves - there should already be clarity, the medical check would be possible. His advisor Volker Struth is also said to have helped with the talks about Mark Uth's loan - it's possible that he's also being negotiated with Höwedes from Moscow. 

Furthermore, the too large squad is to be reduced. In return for the world champion's loan, defender Lasse Sobiech could be parted with. In Cologne he hasn't played a role since the second half of the promotion season, just like in the current season. The KSTA brings VfL Bochum into play, where they should initially be interested in a loan deal.