Hamburg Considers Strong Candidates for Sporting Director Role

Sport Bild reports that Hamburger SV is currently evaluating several prominent figures within German football as potential successors for Stefan Kuntz, the club’s sporting board member who recently announced his resignation for personal reasons.

Among the frontrunners are former DFB president Oliver Bierhoff, current Stuttgart head Fabian Wohlgemuth, and Kuntz’s predecessor, Jonas Boldt. Bierhoff, who has not held a football administrative role since resigning as managing director of the German national team following the disappointing 2022 World Cup, has been frequently linked to Hamburg, particularly after Boldt’s dismissal in May 2024.

Had Kuntz not expressed interest in the position, Bierhoff might have joined HSV. Kuntz, a highly respected figure in German football known for revitalizing 1. FC Kaiserslautern in 2008, chose to transition back into administrative work after a successful coaching tenure with the Germany U21 team and the Turkish national team.

Bierhoff’s connection to Hamburg dates back to his time as a player with the club between 1988 and 1989, prior to a flourishing career in Italy where he became a celebrated Germany international, notably a hero in Euro 1996. In contrast, reinstating Boldt seems unlikely, given that his tenure is associated with the club’s struggles to regain promotion to the Bundesliga.

Wohlgemuth is unlikely to leave Stuttgart, where he was promoted to the sporting board in the summer of 2024, with a contract extending until 2027. Although he was once loosely linked with the vacant position at Wolfsburg and has past connections to Hamburg, it remains doubtful he would consider a move unless offered a substantial raise.

Current reports suggest that Hamburg may not seek external candidates immediately, as sporting director Claus Costa and CFO Dr. Eric Huwer are effectively managing the January 2026 transfer window. Their successful transfer dealings include the sale of midfielder Jonas Meffert and negotiations for Southampton striker Damion Downs, demonstrating their capability to operate without a new sporting director at this time.

Following Kuntz’s efforts to secure promotion, Costa could potentially ascend to the sporting director role while the club takes its time to identify a new appointment. Although Costa is relatively young at 41 and lacks prior executive experience, he has already demonstrated considerable acumen in his current role since March 2023. Comparatively, he has more experience than the current head coach Merlin Polzin, appointed at just 34 with minimal prior managerial experience. This suggests a continued preference within the club for internal promotions as part of their development strategy.