As expected, Bundesliga club VfL Wolfsburg will promote its current sports director Marcel Schäfer to succeed the outgoing managing director Jörg Schmadtke.

The former VfL player and Bochum managing director Sebastian Schindzielorz will take over the post of sports director, as the club announced. The 38-year-old Schäfer will become Managing Director Sport on February 1, 2023 and will receive a three-year contract. "Following in Jörg Schmadtke's footsteps will be a big challenge," said the former Bundesliga defender. "I have been working closely with Jörg for over four years and I am very grateful that he gave me the opportunity to learn, work independently and develop every day."

From 2007 to 2017 he played for VfL and a year later joined the club's management together with Schmadtke. The master player of 2009 was specifically built to succeed Schmadtke. Schindzielorz played for the Wolves from 2008 to 2013 and was part of the championship team together with Schäfer. Schmadtke, 58, will end a more than 20-year career as a football manager when his contract expires on January 31. The former Bundesliga goalkeeper moved to Wolfsburg in 2018 after stints at Alemannia Aachen, Hannover 96 and 1. FC Köln.