News / Sports

Dynamo Dresden Adds 14 New Players—An Overview of All of Them

Dresden 02. September 2026 15:37 Uhr 20 Min

Dynamo Dresden experienced one of its busiest transfer windows in a long time (Photo: Paul Scholze)

From: Dustin Scholz

14 transfers, plenty of second-division experience, and two last-minute loans: Dynamo is rebuilding its roster after avoiding relegation.

All New Signings at a Glance

After securing its place in the league for the 2025/26 season, Dynamo Dresden faced a challenging task. The team had stabilized, particularly in the second half of the season, but at the same time, several key players left the club. Sports director Sören Gonther therefore opted for a mix of experience, second-division quality, and players with development potential.

As early as the winter, Dynamo had brought in four players on loan: Jason Ceka, Robert Wagner, Jonas Sterner, and Thomas Keller. Three of these players—Wagner, Sterner, and Keller—were subsequently signed permanently. Additional transfers were made in the summer, along with two last-minute loan signings on September 1. This brings the total number of new signings on the transfer list for the new season to 14.

More from this category

Hast Du immer von einer Wunschfee geträumt? Manchmal erfüllen sich Träume. Foto: Radio PSR

Advertising

Wenn's teuer wird: Radio PSR zahlt.

Serious Injury: MBC to Be Without Captain Reaves for Weeks

Pelé Wanted Him as His Striking Partner: Eberhard Vogel Has Died

On loan to Istanbul: Bitshiabu leaves RB Leipzig

A Dresden resident swims across the Danube from its source to its mouth

SC Magdeburg vs. Füchse Berlin – More Than Just a Showdown Between Stars

1. Brooklyn Ezeh – a fresh start on the left side

Brooklyn Ezeh was the first to join. The 25-year-old, born on June 23, 2001, in Hamburg, came from Hannover 96 and was the first summer signing for Dynamo. The 1.88-meter-tall left back brings an unusual combination of physicality and technical skill.

Ezeh came up through the youth systems at Hamburger SV and FC Schalke 04. He gained his first experience in men’s soccer with Schalke II, and his path then took him via FC Viktoria Berlin and SV Wehen Wiesbaden to Hannover. He has been under contract with 96 since 2023. Dynamo sees him primarily as an opportunity to return to previous levels of performance following a difficult year.

His signing is therefore less of a traditional transfer of a fully established star player and more of a bet on a player whose potential has already been proven. On the left side, Ezeh is expected to provide speed, dynamism, and physical presence.

2. Kaan İnanoğlu – the goal-scorer from the Regionalliga

With Kaan İnanoğlu, Dynamo has signed one of the most interesting young forwards of the transfer window. Born on August 16, 2005, in Dallas, this American with Turkish roots stands 1.87 meters tall and plays as a center forward.

İnanoğlu came to Germany at the age of 15 and initially attended the German Soccer Boarding School in Bad Aibling. Via MSV Duisburg, his path led him to Eintracht Frankfurt’s second team in 2024. In the second half of the 2025–26 season, he was loaned to FC 08 Homburg—and that’s where his stats skyrocketed: 16 goals and five assists in 17 games.

His overall record in the Regionalliga to date is also remarkable: 23 goals and seven assists in 46 appearances. Even while playing for MSV Duisburg’s U19 team, he had scored 13 goals in 15 Bundesliga junior matches. He also has six appearances in the 3. Liga.

The move to the 2. Bundesliga is nonetheless a huge step. In Dresden, İnanoğlu must now prove that his impressive scoring rate holds up even against significantly more experienced and physically stronger defenders.

3. Nicolai Rapp – Experience for the Midfield

With Nicolai Rapp, Dynamo deliberately signed a player who knows the 2. Bundesliga inside and out. The defensive midfielder came from Karlsruher SC and was assigned the number six jersey.

Rapp was born on December 13, 1996, in Heidelberg and came up through the youth system at TSG Hoffenheim. He subsequently played for Greuther Fürth, Erzgebirge Aue, Union Berlin, Darmstadt 98, and Werder Bremen, among others. After a loan stint with 1. FC Kaiserslautern, he joined Karlsruher SC in 2024.

His resume speaks for itself: when Dynamo signed him, he had 211 second-division appearances, nine Bundesliga matches, and 16 DFB-Pokal games to his credit. He also helped Werder Bremen earn promotion to the Bundesliga.

Rapp is expected to provide stability for Dynamo above all else. Following the departure of Vinko Šapina, there was a need for a defensive midfielder. Rapp is less of a spectacular playmaker and more of a player who closes down space, wins tackles, and secures the team’s build-up play.

4. Ahmet Muhamedbegovic – International Experience for the Center-Back Position

Ahmet Muhamedbegovic is a somewhat more unusual signing. The 27-year-old center back came from the top Slovenian club NK Olimpija Ljubljana.

Muhamedbegovic was born on October 30, 1998, in Austria. He received his training at SC Untersiebenbrunn and the St. Pölten Soccer Academy. After stints with SKN St. Pölten, a loan to SKU Amstetten, and the Slovak first-division club DAC Dunajská Streda, his path led him to Ljubljana in 2023.

There, he gained international experience. Dynamo reports 14 appearances in the UEFA Conference League as well as 14 additional qualifying matches. He also has eight appearances in Champions League qualifying. In domestic soccer, he has 64 appearances in the Austrian Bundesliga and 80 matches in the Slovenian first division to his credit.

According to Dynamo, his strengths lie particularly in his speed and ability to build up play. He is expected to fill the gap in central defense created by several departures.

5. Simon Straudi – Versatile Rising Star from Cottbus

Simon Straudi joined Dresden from FC Energie Cottbus. Born on January 27, 1999, in Bruneck, the Italian can play both fullback positions.

Straudi came up through the youth system at ASC St. Georgen and subsequently played for FC Südtirol. In 2016, he moved to Germany to join Werder Bremen’s youth academy. His path eventually led him to Cottbus via Bremen and SK Austria Klagenfurt.

There, he was part of the team that secured promotion to the 2. Bundesliga in the 2025–26 season. According to Dynamo, Straudi has 53 appearances in the Austrian Bundesliga and 20 games in the 3. Liga.

His versatility is particularly noteworthy. He can play on both the right and left sides and brings speed and technical ability to the table.

6. Jonas Sterner – From Loan Player to Key Member

Jonas Sterner is a player who is already very familiar with Dynamo. After two loan spells from Hannover 96 and Holstein Kiel, the 24-year-old was signed permanently this summer.

Sterner was born on May 13, 2002, in Husum and came up through the Holstein Kiel youth system. His path led him from Kiel to Hannover. At Dynamo, however, he developed into a key part of the team.

In the second half of the 2025–26 season alone, Sterner played in 17 out of 17 possible second-division matches and set up three goals. In total, from his two loan spells, he has already racked up 51 competitive matches for Dynamo, with two goals and twelve assists.

His permanent signing was therefore less of an experiment and more the logical consequence of his development in Dresden.

7. Robert Wagner – A hard-working midfielder with Bundesliga experience

Robert Wagner was also signed permanently following a successful loan. The 23-year-old came from SC Freiburg.

Wagner is from Lahr and came up through the SC Freiburg youth system. He made the leap to the first team via the reserve squad and made his Bundesliga debut. This was followed by loan spells at Greuther Fürth, FC St. Pauli, and Holstein Kiel.

In the winter of 2026, he initially moved to Dresden on loan. There, he played in 15 competitive matches in the second half of the season, 14 of which he played in their entirety. Dynamo described him as one of the hardest-working players in the 2. Bundesliga.

Wagner is a classic box-to-box player. He works hard off the ball, closes down spaces, and can simultaneously push forward with the ball. It was precisely this dynamism that made him an important part of the team as early as the second half of the season.

8. Tobias Raschl – the experienced No. 8

Tobias Raschl joined Dresden from SC Preußen Münster on a free transfer—or rather, without a disclosed transfer fee. The 26-year-old is at home in central midfield.

Raschl received his training at SG Unterrath, Borussia Mönchengladbach, Fortuna Düsseldorf, and Borussia Dortmund. From BVB, his path led him to SpVgg Greuther Fürth. He then played for 1. FC Kaiserslautern and in Münster.

In announcing his signing, Dynamo highlighted his 83 second-division appearances and 11 Bundesliga appearances. This makes Raschl one of the most experienced new signings.

His strength lies in his versatility. He can be deployed more defensively as a defensive midfielder (No. 6) or more offensively as an attacking midfielder (No. 8). For Dynamo, he is therefore a player who can fill various roles within the midfield.

However, due to injury, Raschl started the new season behind in his training.

9. Kenneth Schmidt – Talent with a Bundesliga Background

Kenneth Schmidt is a signing with an eye toward the future. The 24-year-old center back came from Fortuna Düsseldorf.

Schmidt came up through the youth system in Freiburg and made the leap to SC Freiburg’s Bundesliga squad via the reserve team. He then played one season with Hannover 96 and moved to Fortuna Düsseldorf in 2025.

His career to date includes ten Bundesliga appearances, 20 second-division appearances, and one Europa League match. In the 2025–26 season, he played 21 competitive matches for Düsseldorf before a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee sidelined him in February 2026.

Dynamo therefore did not sign Schmidt as a short-term stopgap. The club specifically planned to gradually reintegrate him into the team following his rehabilitation.

His strengths lie particularly in his speed and ability to build up play.

10. Thomas Keller – The Returnee with Leadership Qualities

Thomas Keller is the third player from the successful second half of the season whom Dynamo was able to sign on a permanent basis. The center back originally joined on loan from 1. FC Heidenheim.

Keller was born on August 5, 1999, in Munich and came up through the youth systems at SpVgg Unterhaching and FC Ingolstadt. In 2022, he moved to Heidenheim.

During the 2025–26 second half of the season, he quickly became a key part of Dynamo’s defense. By the end of his loan spell, he had appeared in 14 competitive matches and scored three goals. In total, Keller has played in 12 Bundesliga matches, 40 second-division matches, and two Conference League matches.

Of particular note: Keller scored a goal in his very first match of the second half of the season against Greuther Fürth and later found the net again in the 2-2 draw at Schalke.

11. Till Neininger – U-National Team Player as a Prospective Signing

With Till Neininger, Dynamo signed an exceptionally young center back. The 19-year-old was loaned from VfL Wolfsburg for one season.

Neininger was born on April 3, 2007, in Munich and initially grew up in Berlin. He joined VfL Wolfsburg at the age of eleven and progressed through all of the club’s youth teams.

Last season, he captained Wolfsburg’s U19 team to the DFB Junior Cup final. He has also been named to the Wolfsburg first-team Bundesliga roster five times.

Even more impressive is his record at the international youth level: Neininger has represented Germany since the U16 level and has made 24 appearances for the junior national teams to date.

However, his move to professional soccer is still ahead of him. That’s why Dynamo is focusing primarily on Neininger’s development.

12. Ben Bobzien – the returnee with a nose for goal

Ben Bobzien made Dynamo particularly happy this summer. After a successful second half of the season, the 23-year-old was signed permanently by FSV Mainz 05.

Bobzien was born on April 29, 2003, and joined Mainz’s youth academy as early as 2015. This was followed by loan spells at SV Elversberg and, in Austria, at Austria Lustenau and Austria Klagenfurt.

In Dresden, following his loan in January 2026, he played 15 second-division matches, scored four goals, and set up five more. He thus played a significant role in Dynamo’s comeback and their success in avoiding relegation.

His strengths lie primarily in one-on-one situations and his intensity when pressing the ball. With his dynamism, he can create havoc on the wings.

13. Kennedy Okpala – Speed for the Offense

On the final day of the transfer window, Dynamo once again addressed a specific need and signed Kennedy Okpala from Bundesliga newcomer SC Paderborn. The 21-year-old is coming to Dresden on a one-season loan; no purchase option was agreed upon.

Okpala was born on December 17, 2004, in Neustadt an der Weinstraße and came up through the youth system at SV Waldhof Mannheim. It was there that he made the leap to professional soccer.

Before his move to Paderborn, he had a strong record in the third division: 16 goals and seven assists in 71 games. In the second half of the 2025–26 season, he gained his first experience in the 2. Bundesliga with SC Paderborn, making twelve appearances and recording one goal and one assist. Paderborn subsequently earned promotion to the Bundesliga.

Okpala’s greatest asset is his speed. Dynamo was specifically looking for a player who could attack the deep channels and complement the offense on the right wing.

His track record is noteworthy: In May 2025, while playing for Waldhof Mannheim, Okpala had already hurt Dynamo with a decisive goal. Now he’s set to go on the hunt for goals for the Black and Yellows.

14. Patrice Čović – a young face

Patrice Čović arrived even later than Okpala. The 19-year-old attacking player was loaned from SV Werder Bremen on September 1 for one season.

Čović was born on June 25, 2007, in Berlin. He spent his youth first at SC Staaken and then in the youth academy of Hertha BSC. While playing for the U19 team, he transferred to Werder Bremen.

There, he made the leap to the professional squad and has already made 16 Bundesliga appearances and scored one goal.

His transfer was finalized immediately after Jonas Oehmichen’s departure. According to the club, Dynamo was specifically looking for a technically skilled player who would take the next step in his development in Dresden.

Čović thus represents an interesting contrast to Rapp or Raschl: While these players already have years of experience in the second division, Čović is coming to Dresden at just 19 years old with his first taste of Bundesliga action.

more Sports

The translations are automated with the help of AI. We look forward to your feedback and your help in improving our multilingual service. Write to us at: language@diesachsen.com.

Topics :

Article from

Dustin Scholz

Dustin Scholz is responsible for the content itself. The platform's code of conduct applies. The platform checks and treats content in accordance with the legal requirements, in particular the NetzDG.

To the profile