Max Kruse won't play for Wolfsburg again as coach Kovac dumps ex-Germany striker

Max Kruse played his last match for Wolfsburg after coach Niko Kovac raised doubts about the former German striker's signing.

Kovac and sporting director Marcel Schafer said on Saturday there was no turning back for Kruse, 34, with the Bundesliga side.

Wolfsburg won 1-0 at Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday, getting the better of last season's Europa League winners thanks to Maxence Lacroix's header on the hour mark.

It was a first victory of the Bundesliga campaign at the sixth attempt. Former Werder Bremen and Borussia Mönchengladbach striker Kruse has been sent off, a week after playing the full match in the 4-2 home loss to Cologne.

"We demand 100% identification, focus and focus on Wolfsburg from all players. We didn't have that feeling with Max. That's why he's not here," said Kovac told German TV channel Sky Sport.

Kovac, the former head coach of Bayern Munich and Monaco, added: "We haven't seen any momentum from Max for him to help the team. The club is more important than everything else and that's why we made the decision together.

"We informed him that he will not play any role for us in the future. No more games."

Schafer added: "He will never play for VfL Wolfsburg again."

Kruse signed an 18-month contract when he joined Wolfsburg in January, meaning he won't play any games until next season unless he finds a new club in January.

He earned 14 caps for Germany from 2013-2015 before falling out of favor, while he also played three games for the Germany Olympic team at Tokyo 2020.

Earlier this season, Kruse questioned his level of involvement at Wolfsburg, with his first three appearances coming off the bench.

He then started against RB Leipzig and Cologne, but in 270 minutes of action in the 2022-23 Bundesliga, he failed to register a goal or an assist, and only managed two shots on target, before Wolfsburg interrupted its season. .