Haris Tabakovic apparently moves from Hoffenheim to Red Bull Salzburg

Red Bull Salzburg have been waiting for an Austrian league title for three years and are clearly looking to strengthen in attack. In the club's history to date, the Salzburg side have only paid a fee for four players over the age of 30: Barry Opdam arrived in 2008/09 aged 32 for 1.5 million euros from AZ Alkmaar, Christian Mayrleb in 2005/06 aged 33 for 500,000 euros from FC Pasching. Janis Blaswich (2024/25 from Leverkusen, one million euros loan fee) and Karim Onisiwo (2024/25 aged 32 for 500,000 euros from Mainz 05) also belong to this small group.

This summer's transfer Dominik Schmid, a defender, arrived aged 28 for three million euros from FC Basel and is Salzburg's only player over 27 whose transfer fee came to three million euros or more.

Already last season Tabakovic was active in the Bundesliga, but wearing the shirt of Borussia Mönchengladbach. In terms of squad value, both clubs belong to a different tier: Gladbach are listed with a squad of 29 players and a total market value of 135.10 million euros under coach Eugen Polanski, Salzburg with 39 players and 335.25 million euros under coach Christian Ilzer. Hoffenheim, with a market value of 123.15 million euros, 38 players and coach Danny Röhl, sit slightly below the level of the Mönchengladbach side.

Loan year at Gladbach and sporting record

During his loan to Gladbach, Tabakovic scored 13 Bundesliga goals and kept the club afloat in a period in which Tim Kleindienst (30) was out with a serious injury. Between 2020 and 2023 he had previously been active in Austria – at Austria Lustenau and Austria Wien. In the Austrian Bundesliga he managed 17 goals in 29 games, and in the 2. Liga an impressive 45 strikes in 46 matches.

Alongside his club career, Tabakovic is a national-team player for Bosnia and Herzegovina and, according to his advisory circle, has taken part in a World Cup tournament, underlining his international experience.

Statements from Gladbach

The context of Salzburg's interest is also the backstory surrounding Gladbach. Sporting director Rouven Schröder explained in the "Fohlenpodcast – Standpunkte" at the end of June why a permanent move did not come about. They had received "the clear signal that they would only sell under certain conditions, which then took the spirit away from us. That was too much money."

Schröder also referred to Tabakovic's contractual circumstances at the time: "Haris is at a certain age. He has a contract at Hoffenheim and was on a very good salary there. At our place Tim Kleindienst is coming back, and we are planning with him as our first-choice striker. Playing with both, we see rather more critically. And then we had to weigh up: how much money do we want to invest to get this player? Knowing too that as a club we may not get that investment back."

Origin of the report

The N1 report also provides background on Salzburg's latest transfer moves: at Red Bull Salzburg the most recently recorded transfer is Jan Leszczyński; at Borussia Mönchengladbach it is Bartosz Mazurek.

The report about Salzburg's alleged interest in Tabakovic comes, according to its own account, from news channel N1, which is active in the Balkans. An official confirmation from the clubs regarding the alleged five-million-euro deal has not yet been forthcoming.

Should Salzburg actually dare to leap over the historical 1.5-million-euro threshold, the Tabakovic transfer would mark a clear break with the Austrian club's previous over-30 transfer policy – and a signal aimed at the title race.