Women’s football
Transfer coup for FC Bayern: Oberdorf comes from Wolfsburg
One of the best and most popular German footballers: Lena Oberdorf. photo
© Christian Kolbert/Bildagentur Kolbert/dpa
Lena Oberdorf is one of the best and most popular German footballers. The 22-year-old is moving within the Bundesliga – a record fee is being discussed.
The 22-year-old will receive a contract there until June 30, 2028. Oberdorf is making use of a contractually agreed exit clause, as Lower Saxony confirmed.
Her contract with the DFB Cup winner actually ran until 2025. The two clubs did not provide any information about the transfer fee, the NDR reported 400,000 euros. That would be a record for a change within the Bundesliga.
Millions soon to be transferred in women’s football?
Former Wolfsburg national player Lena Goeßling is soon expecting million-dollar transfers in women’s football. “Maybe not this year, but definitely in the medium term,” the 2016 Olympic champion told the “Wolfsburger Allgemeine Zeitung”.
The Wolfsburg women lose an absolute top performer to their biggest rival in Oberdorf. “I had good discussions with head coach Alexander Straus and department head Bianca Rech and I really liked the club’s vision of what they want to achieve in the next few years,” said Oberdorf in the Munich team’s statement.
“I was also shown where my potential lies and what else can be gotten out of me,” Oberdorf also said. Was she missing this perspective in Wolfsburg? The Lower Saxony team did not include statements from VfL officials, such as coach Tommy Stroot or Ralf Kellermann, the sporting director, in their statement.
In the summer of 2022, shortly before the European Championships in England with reaching the final, Kellermann euphorically commented on the early extension with the then 20-year-old: “Lena would be an absolute reinforcement for any team in the world. So we are very proud of that that with this early contract extension she is clearly committed to VfL Wolfsburg.”
Now there was no confession. On the one hand, the fact that it was Munich instead of Paris, Barcelona or the English Premier League, where some German players are already active, is surprising. The world-class midfielder was sought after abroad, and the top clubs are considered more solvent compared to Wolfsburg and Bayern. On the other hand, the sister of Düsseldorf’s professional soccer player Tim Oberdorf is seen as someone for whom family is important – and in England or Spain that would be a long way away.
Great praise from the Bayern boss
Despite being only 22 years old, Oberdorf is internationally experienced and has already played 44 international matches. She was named the best young player at the 2022 European Championships in England. Oberdorf impresses with its dynamism, robustness, technology and goal threat. “Lena Oberdorf is one of the most talented players in Germany and has a great future ahead of her. We are very happy that we were able to convince Lena to join FC Bayern,” said Bayern boss Rech.
Last year, Oberdorf, who came to Wolfsburg from SGS Essen in 2020, struggled with her form and injuries at times. She had to sit out the World Cup against Morocco (6-0) due to thigh problems, and she was unable to prevent the 1-2 defeat against Colombia and the final preliminary round exit against South Korea (1-1). She wants to find new strength in Munich from the summer onwards. In Wolfsburg, Janina Minge, who was signed by SC Freiburg, will be her successor.
Oberdorf’s transfer is a long way from the world record in women’s football. It was only this week that this was drawn up according to Spanish media reports: The US club Bay FC, which was only founded last year, is paying the equivalent of around 735,000 euros to Madrid CFF for the Zambian national player Racheal Kundananji, the trade journal “Marca” and other media reported, citing circles of the Spanish club.