On the way up in the second tier

Anyone looking at the Bundesliga 2 table this winter might rub their eyes in amazement. SV Elversberg are in fourth place after the first half of the season. And TSG Hoffenheim have a lot to do with that. Fisnik Asllani and Muhammed Damar have been loaned to Elversberg by TSG this season and are causing a stir in the Saarland. The 20-year-old Damar has scored five goals and provided three assists, while Asllani, who is two years older, has scored ten goals and provided four assists. At the beginning of December, Asllani set up Damar for Elversberg's winning goal to beat 1. FC Nürnberg 2-1. The duo have played their way into the hearts of the fans in a very short space of time. The two attacking players celebrating together has become a common sight.

"These are two loans that have worked out perfectly," says Savas Erinc, who is responsible for loaning out players at TSG Hoffenheim. The 37-year-old has known both Damar and Asllani for some time, and both were also loaned out last season. "Both Fisnik and Mo had their problems last season for different reasons, but things could hardly be going better in Elversberg. Fisnik has quickly become a crowd favourite and scores a lot of goals. His development is outstanding. Mo had a difficult year in Hannover, but has now taken exactly the right step. He has an incredible goal threat on the pitch. Whenever he's on the ball, you get the feeling that something is going to happen," says Erinc.

It's a pattern that has worked for TSG time and time again in the past. Maximilian Beier, who was loaned out to Hannover 96 for two years, is the best example. But Kevin Akpoguma (loans to Fortuna Düsseldorf and Hannover 96) and Marco John (SpVgg Greuther Fürth) also gained important match practice in the second tier.

Like John, Nahuel Noll also opted for a loan to Fürth. The 21-year-old goalkeeper, who previously played for the TSG U23s in the Regionalliga Südwest, immediately established himself as a regular goalkeeper and has only missed two matches due to injury. "Nahuel is one of the best goalkeepers in the Bundesliga 2. The leap from the Regionalliga to the Bundesliga 2 is enormous, so one or two slip-ups are part of it. He's doing very well and is very resilient," says Erinc.

Luka Hyryläinen has also made the step from the Regionalliga to the Bundesliga 2. Unlike Noll, the 20-year-old midfielder has never been in the TSG first-team squad, but was part of the U23s. The Finn has featured in 17 competitive matches at SSV Ulm so far and has often been in the starting XI - much to the satisfaction of Savas Erinc: "Luka is a classic 'holding six'. After his serious injury, Vincent Wagner relied on him in the U23s and now he is developing from game to game in Ulm. His stature is exceptional, he exudes a lot of control on the pitch."

The last player to be loaned out to a Bundesliga 2 club in the summer is 21-year-old Bambasé Conté. The attacking player currently plays for Karlsruher SC and has scored five times in 16 games. "It's important for Bamba that he's finally injury-free. He's currently providing a breath of fresh air from the bench, but I can imagine that he'll be in the starting XI more often in the second half of the season. He has a good influence on Karlsruhe's play," says Erinc.

Joshua Quarshie and Erencan Yardimci are also currently trying to recommend themselves for higher honours by playing for other clubs. Quarshie, 20, has made five appearances for the Fortuna Düsseldorf first team so far this season and has been playing for Fortuna since January 2024. "Joshua was a bit unlucky. He was very close to the starting XI in the summer preseason preparations, but then they switched to a back four and unfortunately he's rarely got any playing time since then. He's getting to know the other side of football, but is gaining match practice with the U23s and is doing really well," says Erinc. The 22-year-old Yardimci, who TSG signed in the summer and loaned directly to Sturm Graz, is gaining match practice in the Austrian Bundesliga and the UEFA Champions League. The Turkish striker has scored three goals in 14 games for Graz. "The move to Europe was a new chapter. But Erencan is doing really well and he is very happy in Graz. He poses a particular threat in the air," says Erinc.

Whether in the Bundesliga 2 or even in the Champions League, the young talents are gaining important experience. The goal from the summer is clear: to compete in the Bundesliga together with TSG Hoffenheim.