German Premier League - Wolfsburg looks to retain Alexandra Popp for a future span.
VfL Wolfsburg aims to hold on to Alexandra Popp once her stint with the club comes to an end. Popp's agreement with the cup holders and runners-up is set to expire on June 30, 2025. Popp has yet to declare her retirement from both club and international play. "It would be foolish not to attempt to keep Alexandra Popp after so many years and with her appeal in our team," remarked Ralf Kellermann, the women's football sports director at VfL, during a media gathering on Tuesday.
The uncertainty lies in how long Popp will continue to compete for the DFB squad and whether the new coaching staff led by Christian Wuck will attempt to persuade the German Footballer of the Year 2023 to participate in the 2025 European Championship in Switzerland. "It has always been our practice to provide players who have accomplished something with prospects beyond their athletic career," added Kellermann.
Popp, in an interview with "Wolfsburger Allgemeine" last week, expressed that she wouldn't rule out anything, but she is "essentially not the type" to play overseas. "It wouldn't be an issue for me to part ways with the national team and keep playing for the VfL," said the attacking player.
Coaching is not a possibility for her. "I'm a trained animal keeper and still have a connection to animals. It could be nice if I did something in this field," remarked Popp. "On the other hand, it would also seem a bit odd for me to simply vanish from the football scene - for me and also for the advancement of women's football, which I can undoubtedly still contribute to. That could be at VfL, at the DFB, whichever."
Alongside Popp, contracts for national goalkeeper Merle Frohms, Svenja Huth, and Jule Brand are to terminate in 2025. Frohms' potential move to an international top club is a topic of conversation, claims Kellermann.
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- Ralf Kellermann, the DFB's women's football sports director, expressed hope that the DFB selection might persuade Alexandra Popp to participate in the 2025 European Championship in Switzerland.
- Despite her contract expiring with VfL Wolfsburg in 2025, Alexandra Popp has not ruled out continuing her career in the Bundesliga, hinting at a possible future with the DFB selection.
- Christian Wück, the new coach of the German women's national team, will have to consider whether to include Popp in the squad for the 2025 European Championship, given her potential commitment to VfL Wolfsburg.
- Popp's retirement from international soccer is not yet a certainty, as she remains open to playing for both VfL Wolfsburg and the DFB selection, should the opportunities arise.
- The DFB selection could face a setback if they fail to retain the services of Popp, who has been instrumental in Germany's successes in women's soccer, particularly at the Olympic Games.
- The German Women's Football Bundesliga may lose one of its top players if VfL Wolfsburg and the DFB selection cannot come to an agreement regarding Popp's future involvement in both club and international play.
Source: www.stern.de
