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In football, position changes happen.

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But the one involving Polish player Mateusz Zukowski, in the 2025/26 season of the 2. Bundesliga, may have followed a storyline that was, to say the least, curious.

Originally a right-back with modest numbers, the 24-year-old was deployed as a center-forward by Magdeburg.

The result? A flood of goals that lifted the team off the bottom of the table and secured its place in the division.

Developed by Lechia Gdansk and after a brief spell at Rangers (Scotland) in 2021, Zukowski was far from being a prolific scorer.

Until the start of this season, he had scored only six goals in his entire professional career.

At his previous club, Slask Wroclaw, he had played in a slightly more advanced role as a winger, recording two goals and six assists in 37 matches during the 2024/25 season.

The transfer to Magdeburg involved a significant amount of risk.

The German club paid around 250,000 euros (approximately R$ 1.3 million) for the player while he was still recovering from a metatarsal fracture, an injury that kept him off the pitch for about four months.

Transformation in Numbers

Patience with his physical recovery and the bold decision to use him centrally at the head of the attack paid off impressively for Magdeburg:

• Matches played: 22
• Goals scored: 17
• Assists: 3
• Offensive impact: The player was directly involved in 38.4% of all the team’s goals in the league.
• Climbing the table: Driven by Zukowski’s goals, the team jumped from last place to 14th, avoiding relegation.

Before the change

He had scored only 6 goals in his entire professional career before this season.

Last season (2024/25): Playing for Slask Wroclaw (Poland), where he was occasionally used in a more advanced role as a winger, he recorded 2 goals and 6 assists in 37 matches.

Spell in Scotland: In 2021, when he was signed by Rangers, he played just 1 match before returning to Polish football

Valuation

The immediate success in his new role changed not only Magdeburg’s fate in the competition, but also the Polish player’s financial standing in the transfer market.

Bought for a bargain because of his injury, Zukowski saw his market value soar by an incredible 1,100%.

Today, the No. 22 is valued at around 3 million euros (R$ 17.4 million).

The big question in Germany now is what impact the player will have over a full season from the start as an out-and-out center-forward.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.

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