VfL Wolfsburg terminates the contract with Max Kruse

Wolfsburg (dpa) – Max Kruse and VfL Wolfsburg are finally parting ways. The Bundesliga football club and the eccentric striker mutually terminated the contract.

“In open and honest discussions, we have agreed that this solution is best for all involved,” VfL sporting director Marcel Schäfer said in a statement.

The 34-year-old former international player, who was recently recovering from a muscle injury, was sacked by manager Niko Kovac in early September and has not played for Wolves since. VfL officials accused him of unprofessionalism and thus of a bad influence on the rest of the team. Prior to his injury, Kruse could only train, once he was the only player on the field to help with goalkeeper training.

Kruse and Kovac… this is not good

Between 2015 and 2016, the Reinbeker native had already chased goals at VfL. Under former coach Florian Kohfeldt, Kruse was called up in January as a savior in the relegation battle by league rival Union Berlin. While the professional helped Lower Saxony stay in the league during the final second half of the season, the striker’s new commitment under new coach Kovac had become a burden.

The maverick Kruse and the Croatian champion of discipline did not get along. The big bang has been indicated for weeks. Meanwhile, sporting director Jörg Schmadtke mediated between the coach and the player, who made the German Olympic team in Japan in the summer of 2021.

From a sporting point of view, Kruse’s absence at Wolfsburg hadn’t been noticed at all in the last few games. After a bumpy start to the season, the club stabilized under Kovac and won five of their last eight Bundesliga games.

More recently, Kruse has focused on his YouTube account, which he runs with his wife, and has started a World Cup podcast with comedian Oliver Pocher. He has also pursued another hobby more intensively: A week ago he nearly became German poker champion. Kruse had to admit defeat in the final.

Future in the US League?

According to Kruse, the focus should continue to be on football. The former Werder Bremen, Borussia Mönchengladbach and SC Freiburg player actually had a contract with Wolfsburg until the end of June 2023. Kruse has long been associated with a move to Major League Soccer (MLS) in North America, because on the one hand his son lives there and on the other hand he had praised USA in the past.