

Max Finkgräfe made his first-team debut for Cologne in the 2023–24 season, and his left-back performances have quickly won him praise. Many saw his potential, including RB Leipzig. He will now join Die Roten Bullen in preparation for the 2025–2026 season. He also spent time in the schools of Borussia Dortmund and Borussia Mönchengladbach. The 21-year-old joined Cologne in 2021 and, moving up the ranks, he made his Bundesliga debut in the 2023–2024 season against his old team, Dortmund, no less.
The 21-year-old continued to play for the club's reserve team in the Regionalliga West and went on to make 24 appearances that season, 18 of which were starts. The 21-year-old would have wanted to improve on those stats after solidifying his spot in the first team squad prior to the 2024–25 Bundesliga 2 season, but injuries restricted him to 14 appearances.