Austrian international Florian Grillitsch is into his fifth season with TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, and his presence in the ranks is being profoundly felt this season due to his versatility.
The 26-year-old’s stock is certainly high, amid interest from clubs in the Premier League and Serie A, and any suitors would acquire a player who can play both in midfield and at the back.
With Grillitsch’s contract set to expire at the end of the season, and with interested parties potentially in pursuit of a cut-price deal in January, we use the Career Advice Application to determine possible suitors if the Austrian was to look for a new challenge.
Often seen as a defensive midfielder throughout his career, and at present with the Austrian national team, Grillitsch’s skills have been utilised in central defence for Hoffenheim in the past few months.
Typically behaving as a Ball Playing Defender, he has slotted into a back-three system which was first implemented by manager Sebastian Hoeneß in October. It certainly changed their fortunes in terms of results, and after two wins in their first seven Bundesliga outings Hoffenheim have won six in eight games since the change.
Currently, Die Kraichgauer sit in fourth place in the Bundesliga with Champions League qualification a realistic aim this term; their last group-stage appearance came in 2018.
With this in mind, would such form swing Grillitsch to remain in the Bundesliga as he has for his career so far, or would a move abroad be of interest?
Using the Career Advice App, we narrowed down the search to the top 30 ranking clubs in the world according to the SciSkill Index and prioritised an ambitious move for Grillitsch.
You can download a tailor-made report through the application from the link below.
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Grillitsch’s versatility this season is certainly something to keep in mind, as he could cover multiple areas for any team short on cover.
In terms of our search, LaLiga side Real Betis came out as the best fit, matching our ambition for the Austrian’s development and a playing style to suit his skills as well.
It remains to be seen how the Austrian develops in terms of his position, but with a 4-2-3-1 formation regularly deployed by Betis, it would match the system he is familiar with when playing in centre back or defensive midfield roles.
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