FC Thun sells key players amid difficult season start

Swiss football champion FC Thun has sold defender Michael Heule to Germany's Heidenheim and midfielder Valmir Matoshi to Austria's Sturm Graz. The two players, who each appeared in over 30 league games during Thun's surprise title-winning season, are expected to generate a combined 3.75 million euros ($4.4 million) in transfer fees.

The departures come amid a difficult start to the season for the defending champions. Thun recently suffered a 6-0 loss to Young Boys in their title defense and a 7-0 defeat to Lech Poznan in a Europa League qualifying playoff. Following an earlier exit from the Champions League qualifying rounds against Dinamo Zagreb, the club faces potential relegation to the Conference League if they are eliminated from their current playoff.