Robert Andrich Addresses Transfer Rumors and Captaincy Status

Robert Andrich isn’t packing his bags. Not yet, and not while he feels wanted.

The midfielder addressed the swirl of exit rumours in an interview with Kicker.de and cut straight through the noise. He knows what’s being said. He just doesn’t see a reason to act on it.

"Of course, I pick up on it through a few channels, but externally it's not just about me being talked about, but also about others," Andrich said. "As long as I don't have the feeling that the club wants to get rid of me – and I don't have that feeling right now – I don't concern myself with a transfer."

It was a firm message from a player who has lived through a chaotic spell at the club and clearly has no appetite for more upheaval.

Captaincy question still open

The 29-year-old also addressed his status in the squad hierarchy, making it clear he still sees himself at the front of the line when it comes to the armband.

"I see myself as number one as soon as I'm confirmed in that role," he explained. "Of course, I'm assuming for now that I'll remain captain. I haven't heard anything else yet. But until nothing is officially communicated, anything can still happen. Eddy [Tapsoba] and I have worn the armband last – it could be decided between us."

No drama, no demands – just a calm assertion of where he stands. The captaincy, like so much else at the club in recent months, remains technically open. But Andrich’s stance underlines his belief that he’s still central to the project.

From chaos to calm

His words land differently given what the club has just come through. Xabi Alonso’s departure triggered a period of instability on the touchline. Erik ten Hag lasted only three matches before being replaced by Kasper Hjulmand, who has also since moved on. It was a revolving door that seeped into the dressing room and left the squad constantly adjusting to new ideas, new demands, new voices.

Now, under Carles Martinez Novell, the mood has shifted. The noise has dropped. The dressing room, by all accounts, finally feels like a place where football can take priority over speculation and survival.

Andrich can feel that change.

"We currently have a very good atmosphere in the team; there's no unrest like there was last summer, when there were so many changes," he said. "In difficult phases, we need to stick together more in the future – and put ourselves in a position to simply strike back after 15, 20 tough minutes."

That line reveals as much as any tactical briefing. This is a senior player who has seen how quickly things can unravel when pressure hits and how easily uncertainty off the pitch can bleed into performances on it.

The message is clear: the days of panic must be over. The next time the team hits a rough spell in a match, they want to respond with resilience, not fragility.

For now, Andrich is staying where he is, armband or not, transfer rumours or not. The real question is whether this new-found stability around him will last long enough for the team to show what it can be when the storm finally passes.