Published: January 14, 2026 2:29 p.m
Red Bull Salzburg is leading the Bundesliga table, but the runners-up still have a lot to do on the way to their first league title in three years. The new sports director Marcus Mann has to clear up six construction sites in order to make the club more successful again.
Rouven Schröder’s departure left FC Red Bull Salzburg with a power vacuum and a list of problems in October. Now, three months later, a new person responsible for reconstruction has taken up his post. Marcus Mann was guided to the Salzach by Hannover 96 – and he makes it clear straight away: the Salzburger Weg will not be a walk under him, but a place of hard work. But how much leeway does the new sports director have between the squad diet and the hunt for the lost championship title?
While the team sweats in the training camp in Turkey until Friday, we have identified six major construction sites that will determine the club’s future. When Marcus Mann spoke about his way of working for the first time on January 6th, he seemed like the personification of the unrest of the past few months. He was matter-of-fact, determined and without much showmanship. But behind the calm facade, hard work awaits, because the list of bull construction sites has not become smaller.
1. The trainer’s decision: Leap of trust with an expiration date
In October, Thomas Letsch came under massive criticism from the media and his own fans after disappointing results. The question was: Does a new sports director start directly with a new coach? Mann’s answer: He gave Letsch a clear job guarantee. “Thomas Letsch is our coach and enjoys my complete trust,” emphasized the 41-year-old during his introduction.
S24 classification: It’s a vote of confidence, but one with conditions. By pointing out that the current league points average (1.88 in the fall) will not be enough for the championship title, Mann has raised the bar. Letsch is allowed to stay, but has to deliver immediately.
2. The “squad diet”: Who has to go?
The “cleaning out season”, as you could describe the summer transfer phase last year, is not yet over. One thing still applies: the squad is too big, too expensive and inefficient. Mann’s answer: “26 field players are too big for me.” Mann immediately identified the problem and wanted to sort it out after the training camp, where he would take a close look at all the players in Turkey. However, the German also emphasized that a major upheaval in the winter was not on the agenda.
S24 classification: The winter transfer window, which is open until February 6th, will be the first test of Mann’s negotiating skills. He now has to place players like Lucas Gourna-Douath or Aleksa Terzić, for whom no buyers were found in the summer, on the market under time pressure in order to make room for new talent – preferably from his own academy. Transfers like those of Brenden Aaronson, Maximilian Wöber, Erling Haaland and Co. for almost 10 million euros seem to be out of the question.
3. Built-in gate guarantee: Wait for the clipper
The Bulls lacked offensive power in the fall without Karim Konaté. Salzburg managed to spread the responsibility across several shoulders and stayed in first place with goals from Petar Ratkov, who is now gone, Edmund Baidoo and Yorbe Vertessen. However, you won’t find a real clipper like in recent years.
Mann’s answer: The new sports director kept a low profile, but emphasized that there was “room for improvement” on the offensive. Exploiting opportunities is also one of the biggest construction sites in the ongoing preparation.
S24 classification: The dilemma remains: Man wants to reduce the squad, but actually needs quality up front. Since Konaté’s return remains uncertain, it will be exciting to see whether Mann uses his excellent contacts in Germany to pull a goalscorer out of the hat in January.
4. The external representation: North German objectivity instead of glamour
The runner-up’s sovereignty was lost last year. We were looking for a sports director who would once again represent the “Salzburg Way” with authority and complete identification. Mann’s answer: “No one has ever become successful by talking. Not everything works on the second day and we will need some time. But the next development steps should follow as soon as possible, because it happens quickly.”
S24 classification: Marcus Mann seems down-to-earth, listens carefully and sees the big picture in the club. While Schröder was often perceived as a “foreign body” who was already back in Germany with one foot in his step and only focused on the short-term success of the professional team, Mann is sending signals of stability. His focus on the academy and the identity of Red Bull football (intensity and speed) is intended to sharpen the club’s image again.
5. The identification question: The legacy of Christoph Freund
A big point of criticism of Rouven Schröder was the lack of club loyalty. Many continue to ask themselves: Can Marcus Mann fill the gap left by Christoph Freund two and a half years ago?
Mann’s answer: He refers to his more than four years of service in Hanover and Saarbrücken. The German wants to “stay in the long term”.
S24 classification: If Mann commits 100 percent to Red Bull Salzburg’s philosophy and the club gives him the necessary space for self-development, he can be confident that he can lead the third club, after Hannover 96 and Saarbrücken, back onto the road to (international) success.
6. Strategy 2027: Keep an eye on the contracts (of fan favorites).
Ten contracts expire in 2027, including identification figures such as Alexander Schlager and Stefan Lainer. The sports director must plan far-sightedly here.
Mann’s answer: He calls for a “balancing act” between success and development. “We have to manage to play football successfully and gradually convert things and develop new things,” said the Swabian.
S24 classification: Marcus Mann has already suggested that sales are part of Salzburg’s DNA. Starting this weekend, he will have to decide which supporters he wants to commit to long-term and who has the last chance of a (high) transfer fee in the summer of 2026. He won’t rely on major changes with a crowbar, but rather on structure and hard work. The next three weeks until the end of the transfer period will show what the new “maker” can achieve in his first month.
(Source: salzburg24)
