Cologne Takes Lead in Pursuit of Dutch Striker Thijs Dallinga from Bologna
Cologne have emerged as the frontrunners to acquire Thijs Dallinga (26) from Bologna, as reported by Gianluca Di Marzio.
The Billy Goats have outpaced Bundesliga rival Werder Bremen in the competition for the Dutch striker, who has struggled to make an impact in Serie A, netting only five goals in 54 appearances since his €16 million transfer from Toulouse in 2024.
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Cologne aims to reduce the goalscoring pressure on Said El Mala, who led their offense last season with 13 Bundesliga goals, surpassing Jakub Kaminski—who has since transferred to Benfica—and Ragnar Ache.
Despite his difficulties in Italy, Dallinga showcased his scoring ability in France’s Ligue 1, achieving 14 goals in 33 league appearances during the 2023/24 season and 12 goals in 36 appearances in the 2022/23 season.
Currently, it remains uncertain whether Cologne has made an official bid to Bologna for Dallinga’s services.
Cologne have emerged as favourites to sign Thijs Dallinga (26) from Italian outfit Bologna, according to Gianluca Di Marzio.
The Billy Goats have moved ahead of fellow Bundesliga side Werder Bremen in the race to sign the Dutch striker, who has failed to establish himself in Serie A – scoring five goals in 54 appearances – since his €16m move from Toulouse in 2024.
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Cologne are looking to alleviate the goalscoring burden on Said El Mala, who lead the scoring charts for Effzeh last season, scoring 13 Bundesliga goals, two more than Jakub Kaminski – who left for Benfica – and Ragnar Ache.
Although struggling to find the net since his arrival in Italy, Dallinga was prolific in France’s Ligue 1, scoring 14 goals in 33 league appearances in 2023/24 and 12 goals in 36 appearances during 2022/23.
As of now, it’s unclear as to whether Cologne have submitted an official approach to Bologna to sign Dallinga.
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