At Casa Milan, the search continues for a new sporting director to be added to the club’s management structure. In recent weeks, three main candidates have emerged: Fabio Paratici, who many believe is currently the frontrunner, Igli Tare, and Tony D’Amico, the current sporting director of Atalanta. However, other names are not being ruled out, particularly profiles from abroad. One of these, which surfaced in recent days, is Kim Falkenberg from Bayer Leverkusen.
What about Falkenberg's past as a player?
As reported by Gazzetta.it, Falkenberg started playing football as a child under the coaching of his mother, who ran a team for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Before joining Bayer Leverkusen—his lifelong favorite club—his parents insisted that he graduate from high school first. This explains why, when he later worked in youth development, he prioritized the importance of education for young players. Once he had his parents’ approval, Falkenberg began his journey at Bayer, eventually reaching the U19 team, with whom he won a league title in 2007. However, he never made his first-team debut, and his playing career continued in Germany’s lower divisions.
His transition to a management role at Leverkusen began while he was still playing for Osnabrück. In 2017, after suffering a cruciate ligament injury, he decided to retire from playing and move into full-time management. It was Jonas Boldt, then Bayer’s sporting director, who brought him into the club. "We met at a party, and I told him I was studying sports business administration. I needed an internship, and he gave me the opportunity at Leverkusen. I started as a scout, a role I had never considered before. But after just a few video analyses, I realized it was the right job for me. I became almost addicted to analysis," Falkenberg recalled.
In 2019, he was promoted to head of scouting at Leverkusen. "Describing players, analyzing team tactics, and understanding how a player can help your club is fascinating." Since early March 2025, Bayer’s CEO, Simon Rolfes, has promoted him to sporting director: "He has played a key role in shaping the squad in recent years, contributing to the team’s development and successes."
From Frimpong to Grimaldo...
These strong endorsements show how highly the German club values him. In recent years, he has identified top talents such as Jeremie Frimpong, signed from Celtic for 11 million euros, Alex Grimaldo, acquired on a free transfer from Benfica, as well as Boniface and Hincapié. It remains to be seen whether Milan’s interest could tempt Falkenberg, who at 36 years old might be intrigued by the chance to gain experience abroad at a top club like the Rossoneri. However, for now, it seems his firm intention remains to stay with his boyhood club, as relayed via Milannews.it.
