There’s more to report on as the third day of the January 2026 Bundesliga transfer window draws to a close. Day 3 wasn’t nearly as busy as Day 2, but there’s still transactions to catch up on. Get German Football News is once again pleased to supply a roundup on some of the lesser reported-on transactions. 

Augsburg secure first January signing in Yannik Keitel

Relegation threatened FC Augsburg have confirmed their first signing of the January 2026 transfer window. The first new reinforcement for newly installed FCA head coach Manuel Baum shall be former SC Freiburg defensive midfielder Yannik Keitel. The 25-year-old moved to Stuttgart on a free after the 2023/24 season, but has been unable to catch on in Württemberg due to the highly competitive situation in the Stuttgart midfield. 

Keitel couldn’t fight his way past German national team midfielder Angelo Stiller and VfB skipper Atakan Karazor on head coach Sebastian Hoeneß’ depth chart. Keitel made only two Bundesliga starts throughout the entirety of the 2024/25 campaign. In total, the Breisgach-native made only 11 league appearances. He made a total of 64 Bundesliga appearances during his five seasons at Freiburg.

This year, the emerge of young Spanish phenom Chema Andres left Keitel without any playing prospects at all. Keitel was moved to the VfB reserve squad in the 3. Liga and entered the January transfer window as the most obvious piece of dead weight on the Stuttgart payroll. Though Keitel has played as a centre back for both Freiburg and the Germany U21s, he was never used in that position during his time in Swabia. 

Augsburg are certainly betting that Keitel can help them both in defensive midfield and in the back-three. The Fuggerstädter signing of Keitel reminds one of Kristijian Jakic’s signing on loan from Eintracht Frankfurt during the January 2023 window. Jakic served as both a midfielder and a centre-back, eventually signing with Augsburg permanently after the 2023/24 season. 

Jakic has had his ups-and-downs with the club. Along with everyone else in FCA dress this year, it’s been quite the rollercoaster. Jakic turned in excellent performances for both club and country early on, yet was among the players caught in a public spat with the FCA ultras during the team’s home form nadir. Keitel was welcomed as a versatile player in Jakic’s mold who can bring fresh impetus to the team.

Like Jakic, Keitel’s loan deal contains a purchase option. Keitel will almost certainly be called upon in central defense, where the loss of captain Jeffrey Gouweleeuw truly stings. Jakic has been forced into the back row due to the fact that only Chrislain Matsima has managed to be a consistenty strong presence in the back-three.

“Yannik is intelligent and versatile,” Augsburg sporting director Benni Weber noted in a statement on the club’s website. “He can help us immediately in both defensive midfield and central defense. He knows the Bundesliga and won’t need much time to settle in.”

“I’m really looking forward to the new challenge,” the player himself added. “The talks with the club officials were very positive and I immediately felt that FCA and I were a great fit. I am highly motivated to finally get started and will do everything I can to be successful with the team.”

Hamburg return Jonas Meffert to Kiel

One of the Hamburger SV professionals on the newly promoted Bundesliga squad’s “dead-weight-ledger” is headed back to familiar stomping grounds. HSV midfielder Jonas Meffert was unable to compete with new club acquisitions such as Nicolai Remberg, Fabio Vieira, Albert Sambi Lokonga, and Nicolas Calpaldo. The 31-year-old made just four Bundesliga appearances under head coach Merlin Polzin this summer, playing from the start only once. 

Meffert made one other Bundesliga appearance during his long career, with SC Freiburg during the 2016/17 campaign. Apart from that, the Köln native has spent most of his career in the German second division. Meffert has made a total of 271 2. Bundesliga appearances for HSV, Karlsruher SC, and a previous three-year-stint with Holstein Kiel between 2018 and 2021. 

Kiel – relegated from the top flight last year – also picked up midfielder Robert Wagner on loan from Freiburg yesterday.Meffert will be moving to the Storks on a permanent basis. Terms of the transfer were not divulged, but transfermarkt.delists Meffert as a €250,000 sale. Kiel actually made a reported €2.4m selling the player who beat out Meffert to a starting position (Remberg) to Hamburg over the summer.

“Jonas knows what it is to make a difference with Holstein,” Kiel sporting director Olaf Rebbe noted in a club a statement. “This shared motivation and Jonas’ proven footballing qualities work out well for our collaboration. Jonas will help to further shape our young team, which was largely rebuilt in the summer, with his calm manner and straightforward approach on the pitch and in the dressing room.“

“Holstein Kiel is still a special club for me, one with which I have experienced many wonderful and emotional moments,” Meffert noted in his own statement. “I experienced an important phase of my career here and am very happy to return and be part of this environment again. Now I want to contribute the experience I gained in Hamburg to add another successful chapter to my Kiel story.”

Union Berlin loan out defensive prospect

Despite some talk that he may get a chance at Union this season, Bremen native Oluwaseun Ogbemudia still awaits his first Bundesliga appearance. Unlike in the last two seasons, the 19-year-old hasn’t been made one of Union’s Bundesliga matchday squad selections. Union will be seeking other solutions as they potentially prepare to cope with the departure of two central defenders – Danilho Doekhi and Diogo Leite – during current January transfer window.

Ogbemudia has nevertheless received a new deal and a six-month loan out to SV Waldhof Mannheim in the 3. Liga in order to accrue more playing practice. The teenager did receive his first official fully professional contract some 18 months ago. The right-footer still possesses plenty of potential and may yet play a role in Union’s future.