"to be" sportsmanagement
Boutique Bundesliga

Germany

€100mm+

Key Facts

Founded: 15.10.2025 (registered/incorporated)
Headquarters: Braunschweig, Germany
Players: 10+ (4) | Total market value: €100mm+
FIFA/FA registration: Germany – individual FIFA Football Agent licence IDs not publicly shown in the accessed sources
Languages: German, English (not explicitly disclosed publicly; inferred from operating markets)
Regions covered: Germany (core) – UK (Premier League deals) – EU/Europe
Email: bjoern.etzel@to-be-sportsmanagement.de
Phone: +49 (0) 151 42 55 11 66

About

“to be” sportsmanagement is a German players’ agency based in Braunschweig that represents a compact roster spanning elite Bundesliga talent, established professionals, and U23 prospects. The agency is fronted by Björn Etzel and is notably linked to high-profile clients such as Germany international Nico Schlotterbeck and Premier League winger Brajan Gruda. The company entity was registered in 2025, but its core representation activity is visible through the client list and transactions published on public databases and club announcements.

Key People

• CEO/Founder: Björn Etzel

  • Bio: German football agent representing multiple top-flight clients including Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund), Brajan Gruda (Brighton), Tim Kleindienst (Borussia Mönchengladbach) and Keven Schlotterbeck (FC Augsburg).

  • Contact: bjoern.etzel@to-be-sportsmanagement.de | +49 (0) 151 42 55 11 66

• Managing Director / Head of Football: Thorsten Koll

  • Bio: Listed as Head of Football for “to be” sportsmanagement GmbH.

  • Contact: Not publicly listed in the accessed sources (direct email/phone).

• Licensed agents

  • Björn Etzel – licence ID not publicly shown in the accessed sources.

Client Roster

Top players and talents (current)

• Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund) – 01.12.1999

• Brajan Gruda (Brighton) – 31.05.2004

• Keven Schlotterbeck (FC Augsburg) – 28.04.1997

• Tim Kleindienst (Borussia Mönchengladbach) – 31.08.1995

• Phil Kemper (FSV Frankfurt) – 13.03.2002

• Janis Juckel (FC Energie Cottbus) – 29.07.2004

• Talha Catkaya (Borussia Mönchengladbach II) – 02.01.2006

Notable former clients

• Thomas Kessler (Retired) – 20.01.1986

• Niko Bungert (Retired) – 06.10.1986

• Christopher Nöthe (Retired) – 26.01.1988

• Marcel Kandziora (Retired) – 06.02.1990

• Michael Esser (VfR Rauxel 08; also listed as goalkeeping coach) – 22.11.1987

Coaches/Staff represented (if any)

• No dedicated coaches/staff roster found in the accessed sources.

Notable Deals

• 2024 – Brajan Gruda – Mainz to Brighton – permanent – reported €30m (up to ~€35m package reported) – contract to June 2028

• 2024 – Keven Schlotterbeck – SC Freiburg to FC Augsburg – permanent – fee undisclosed by clubs – three-year contract

• 2024 – Tim Kleindienst – Heidenheim to Borussia Mönchengladbach – permanent – four-year deal (to 2028 originally)

• 2025 – Tim Kleindienst – Borussia Mönchengladbach – contract extension – extended to 30.06.2029

• 2023 – Janis Juckel – joined Energie Cottbus – permanent registration – contract later extended (30.05.2024)

Services

• Player representation and contract negotiation (first contract, renewals, extensions)

• Domestic and international transfers and loans (Bundesliga and cross-border moves)

• Career planning (club pathway, squad role planning, move timing)

• Performance and squad-market positioning (market benchmarking, role fit)

• Support services: relocation coordination, legal and administrative support (partners as needed)

Partner Network

• Club network visible via client placements and negotiations:

  • Borussia Dortmund, Borussia Mönchengladbach, FC Augsburg (Bundesliga)

  • Brighton & Hove Albion (Premier League)

  • Energie Cottbus (Germany)

• Typical external partners (not publicly itemized for this agency in accessed sources): lawyers, tax advisors, performance specialists, brand/sponsorship intermediaries.

Track Record (last 3 seasons)

(Window used: 2023/24, 2024/25, 2025/26; based on publicly visible join/extension information and official club communications.)

• Total transfers completed: 6

  • 01.07.2023: Janis Juckel – joined Energie Cottbus

  • 28.06.2024: Keven Schlotterbeck – Freiburg to Augsburg (permanent; fee undisclosed)

  • 01.07.2024: Tim Kleindienst – joined Borussia Mönchengladbach

  • 14.08.2024: Brajan Gruda – joined Brighton

  • 01.07.2025: Talha Catkaya – joined Borussia Mönchengladbach II

  • 08.07.2025: Phil Kemper – joined FSV Frankfurt

• Deals ≥ €10m: 1

  • Brajan Gruda – Mainz to Brighton – reported €30m

• Clients in top-5 leagues: 4

  • Bundesliga: Nico Schlotterbeck (Dortmund), Tim Kleindienst (Mönchengladbach), Keven Schlotterbeck (Augsburg)

  • Premier League: Brajan Gruda (Brighton)

• National team clients: 4 (senior and U21)

  • Nico Schlotterbeck – Germany senior international

  • Tim Kleindienst – Germany senior international

  • Keven Schlotterbeck – former Germany international (as listed)

  • Brajan Gruda – Germany U21 international

• Renewal/extension deals: 2

  • 30.05.2024: Janis Juckel – Energie Cottbus – contract extension

  • 06.11.2025: Tim Kleindienst – Borussia Mönchengladbach – extended to 30.06.2029

Approach & Philosophy

With a small roster, the agency model appears high-touch: focusing on a limited number of clients, heavy involvement in contract milestones, and selective moves into top competitions (Bundesliga core, Premier League step-up). The visible pattern is development in Germany first, followed by well-timed international exits for top prospects when market demand peaks.

Fees & Transparency

• Under FIFA’s Football Agent Regulations (FFAR), representation must be via regulated representation agreements and transactions are intended to be logged in FIFA systems; FFAR also introduced “service fee” concepts and caps in the regulation text.

• Important (practical reality): multiple legal challenges have affected enforcement of certain FFAR provisions (including fee-cap related elements) in some jurisdictions, creating a mixed enforcement landscape depending on country and ongoing proceedings.

• Typical commission ranges for this specific agency are not publicly disclosed in the accessed sources.

Compliance & Reputation

• Disciplinary actions / sanctions: No public sanctions found in the accessed sources.

• Litigation / disputes: No agency-specific litigation found in the accessed sources.

• Media sentiment: Neutral – public coverage is mostly transactional/player-focused (transfers, contract extensions) rather than agency-focused commentary.

Awards/recognition

No formal awards/industry rankings for the agency were found in the accessed sources.