Werder sign Patrice Covic from Hertha academy, Fritz confirms new talks with Weiser

With one Hertha BSC “heritage player” (Bence Dardai) signing a new deal with a top tier side last weekend and another (Marton Dardai) is rumored to be on the move, the academy ranks of Berlin’s “alte Dame” have lost another son of a long-time trainer. Sixteen-year-old attacking midfielder Patrice Covic – the son of long-time Hertha youth coach Ante Covic – signed a four-year-deal on Thursday afternoon.

Covic has worked within the Hertha academy since his father’s first stint coaching the club’s reserves. The elder Covic had an ill-fated stint in charge of the Hertha first team early in 2019. Two years after his dismissal, he returned to his post as the Hertha II trainer. The younger Covic is slated for the Bremen U19s for now. Covic’s middle son Maurice still plays under his father. 

In other Werder related news, SV Werder licensing head (soon to assume the role of sporting directo) Clemens Fritz told German journalist Tim Lüddecke of Germany’s Kicker Magazine that he and his staff were reconsidering matters with respect to one of the roster’s players sitting on an expiring deal. It had hitherto been assumed that the Hanseaten were preparing to allow wingback Mitchell Weiser to depart on a free.

Fritz informed Lüddecke of new talks.

“It would be great to extend with Mitch,” Fritz said, “We’ll be in contact with his agent again soon. We are still very interested in extending his contract and we would be delighted if we could do that.”

Fritz and his colleagues may find themselves reluctant to allow any more players with demonstrated attacking prowess depart over the summer. Young attacking prospects Eren Dinkçi (Freiburg) and Nick Woltemade (assumed to be headed for Stuttgart) have already been confirmed as summer departures in the last ten days.