Augsburg are in concrete negotiations with Hoffenheim to sign defender Hennes Behrens on a permanent basis. The Bundesliga club are targeting the 21-year-old to strengthen their defensive options ahead of the new campaign, though the proposed deal faces a significant procedural hurdle that must be cleared before any medical examination or official announcement can take place.
Transfer Contingent on Departure
The move for Behrens is directly dependent on Augsburg selling current left-back Dimitrios Giannoulis to Greek side PAOK. Reports suggest that negotiations between Augsburg and the Greek club are proving difficult at this stage, creating uncertainty over the timeline for Behrens’s potential arrival and casting doubt over whether the complex arrangement can ultimately be completed.
Augsburg are specifically seeking a permanent transfer for the young defender rather than another temporary arrangement. This approach signals a long-term investment in Behrens as they look to reshape their defensive unit. However, the club must first resolve the outgoing transfer to free up the necessary resources and squad registration space to accommodate the Hoffenheim defender.
Heidenheim Spell Ends in Relegation
Behrens spent the second half of the 2025/26 season on loan at Heidenheim, where he gained valuable top-flight experience in the German top division. Despite his individual contributions during the campaign, the club ultimately suffered relegation to the 2. Bundesliga at the conclusion of the season. The defender now appears set to seek stability elsewhere as Hoffenheim look to arrange a permanent exit and allow the player to continue his development at Bundesliga level rather than in the second tier.
Current Situation
The coming days will prove crucial for all parties involved in this interconnected transfer saga. Augsburg must navigate the complex negotiations with PAOK to facilitate Giannoulis’s departure before they can complete the signing of Behrens from Hoffenheim. Until that first domino falls and the Greek defender secures his move to Thessaloniki, Behrens’s future remains in limbo despite the concrete interest from the Bavarian side.