Hamburger SV have reached a basic agreement to extend head coach Merlin Polzin's contract. Signatures are expected before the Bundesliga home match against 1. FC Köln on Saturday.

Polzin confirmed the progress. "That we have a basic agreement is certain. We will announce it in a timely manner," said the 39-year-old. He stressed the strong mutual trust: "We are on a very good path, and the mutual trust is very, very great." The new deal is initially reported to be for this Bundesliga season and will also include his coaching staff.

The decision comes during a tough period. HSV are bottom of the table with zero points and a goal difference of 0:12 after three matchdays. The last two league games ended 5-0 defeats against Mainz and Leipzig. The team has played a total of 270 minutes across the first three matches of the season, conceding twelve goals in that time, which equates to a goal conceded every 22.5 minutes of play. This is the worst defensive record in the league. Despite this, the club continues to show faith in the man who led them back to the Bundesliga in May 2025 and secured survival last season.

Polzin is HSV through and through. He played for the club's youth teams, later stood in the fan curve, and worked as a youth coach from 2011. After spells as an assistant under Daniel Thioune, Tim Walter and Steffen Baumgart, he took interim charge in late 2024 and was later appointed permanently.

The team is preparing for the important home game against 1. FC Köln, who currently sit 12th. A look at the standings shows the urgency. A positive note is the return of Mario Vušković to training. The 24-year-old centre-back has completed his four-year doping ban. Polzin praised his abilities but warned against excessive expectations, stating Vušković is not a 'saviour' and his long absence must be assessed realistically. The current injury list featuring players like Immanuel Pherai and Sebastiaan Bornauw is on our injuries page.

The club invested over 30 million euros in new players during the summer. The upcoming chances to break the negative streak are shown in the fixtures calendar. The contract extension with Polzin is intended to signal stability in a turbulent time.

First reported at Der Spiegel Fussball