The 36-year-old can look back on many years of working with Baumgart. He stood by his side as assistant coach in a total of 181 competitive matches at Hamburg, Paderborn, Köln and most recently Union. Born in Dresden, his coaching career had previously taken him to several clubs in the USA.

“I look back on my time at Union with gratitude,’ said Wagner. "The club, the environment and the people here have welcomed me warmly from the very beginning. A very special thank you goes to Steffen Baumgart – for the time we spent together here at Union, but above all for the last four years of close and trusting cooperation. The decision to leave the club is not an easy one, but it is a step I am taking deliberately for my personal development.”

Union's director of men’s professional football, Horst Heldt, meanwhile expressed his gratitude for Wagner’s work: “René has contributed his expertise and experience to our club with great dedication over the past few months. We wish him all the best for the next steps in his professional and personal life."