Florian Plettenberg and Sport Bild have fresh news to report on Union Berlin’s search for attacking assistance ahead of the next Bundesliga campaign. The Köpenickers are reportedly set to sign two strikers in the coming days. The permanent purchase of Lille loanee Andrej Ilic and Paderborn’s Ilyas Ansah will cost the club a total of around €8m. 

Union seek to shore up their attack amid exit rumors surrounding leading goal-scorer Benedict Hollerbach. The East German capital city side has already added two attackers this summer in the form of Scotsman Oliver Burke (who joined on a free from SV Werder Bremen) and South Korean attacking midfielder Woo-Yeong Jeong (purchased permanently from Stuttgart for around €4m).

Union have long had interest in signing Ilic on a permanent basis. According to Sport Bild, a €4m purchase option in Ilic’s loan deal will enable die Eisernen to keep the Serbian youth international on a permanent basis. Union did initially give Ilic a send off whilst FCU managing director Horst Heldt, chief scout Oliver Ruhnert and head coach Steffen Baumgart considered whether or not to pull the clause. 

The manner in which Ilic thrived under Baumgart ultimately led to the final decision to exercise the option. Heldt and Ruhnert (who formerly occupied Heldt’s position) have also identified Ansah as their next major target. Plettenberg reports that both clubs have reached a full agreement for a €4m base-transfer-fee with additional performance-based add-ons. 

Ansah scored six goals and registered seven assists in 33 2. Bundesliga appearances for Paderborn last year. His strong form in the second half of the season enabled Ansah to double his estimated market value up to €4m. The Lüdenscheid-native has also represented Germany at the U20 level, scoring five goals in 12 caps. 

Ansah – per Plettenberg – is due for a medical in Berlin early next week.