Urs Fischer’s preparations for the new season are continuing with an addition to his backroom staff. Markus Hoffmann, the 45-year-old Austrian, has arrived from Salzburg and has signed a two-year-deal at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei.

Following the end of his playing career, Hoffmann moved into coaching in 2007 with SV Austria Seekirchen. He moved on to Basel in 2011 where he was assistant first to Heiko Vogel and Murat Yakin before following the latter to Spartak Moscow in Russia. Hoffmann returned to Switzerland in 2015 and worked alongside current Union boss Urs Fischer for the first time. As a partnership, they celebrated two league titles in Switzerland, a cup triumph and qualification for the UEFA Champions League. Hoffmann enjoyed a further campaign with Giorgio Contini at FC St Gallen in Switzerland.

"I’ve got very good memories of working with Urs Fischer at FC Basel. I look forward to working with him again and to getting on with this exciting challenge at Union. Together with the other colleagues in the coaching team, we want to prepare the team in the best possibly way for the new season," said Markus Hoffmann.

"Our two years in Basel were very successful and of course we want to build on that. I’m pleased that Markus Hoffmann was able to get enthusiastic about coming to Union and that our coaching team is now complete. Now we can get started," added head coach Urs Fischer.