Zellweger heading for Germany?

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Switzerland and St Gallen defender Marc Zellweger is set to become the fourth Swiss player to ply his trade in Germany's top division, after reportedly agreeing to join Bundesliga side FC Cologne.

The German news agency SID said on Tuesday that Zellweger had already signed a four-year contract with Cologne, although St Gallen president Thomas Müller has since insisted that the deal has not yet been finalised.

If confirmed, Zellweger’s departure is likely to come as a major blow to St Gallen who will be losing their fourth key player from the team that won the Swiss league title in 2000.

The club’s top scorer that year, Charles Amoah, subsequently moved to Austrian side Sturm Graz with defender Marco Zwyssig joining another Austrian club, Tirol Innsbruck, shortly after.

Goalkeeper and captain Jörg Stiel was the third member of the team to leave, making a move to Germany’s Borussia Mönchengladbach in July.

St Gallen appear unable to prevent the latest transfer, though, with Zellweger possessing a get-out clause in his contract. The club from east Switzerland are expected to receive a fee of around SFr 900,000 ($544,000) for the 11-time Swiss international.

Wiht St Gallen currently fourth in the Swiss league, Zellweger seems set to face a far tougher challenge if he does agree to join Cologne. After 12 matches, the German side are lying in the Bundesliga relegation zone in 16th place and have the second worst defensive record in the league.

swissinfo with agencies