Paderborn steps up pursuit of Virginius

Paderborn is ramping up efforts to land Alan Virginius, the French striker currently at Young Boys Berna. According to L'Équipe, the Bundesliga club will shift into high gear this week in talks after an initial offer that failed to satisfy the Swiss side's demands.

An in-demand prospect

Virginius, 23, and contracted until June 2029, has caught the eye of several European clubs following his spells at Sochaux and Lille. Interest from Genoa cooled, as did that from Anderlecht, but Paderborn are leading the race for his signature. The forward missed Young Boys' last two Swiss Super League matches with an adductor injury dating back to 26 July, though he could be available next week.

The Young Boys board has already rejected Paderborn's opening bid as insufficient, but the club expects the German side to table a more competitive offer in the coming days to seal the deal.