VfL Wolfsburg have signed Belgian goalkeeper Koen Casteels from Hoffenheim, it was announced on Wednesday.

Casteels managed 39 games for the Sinsheim side, but hasn't featured since breaking his leg against Hertha Berlin in April 2014.

The arrival of Oliver Baumann, from SC Freiburg, made a return to the starting eleven even more unlikely.

At just 22, Casteels still has plenty to time to grow and that was reflected in the length of contract Wolfsburg gave him.

Klaus Allofs, sporting director for the Lower Saxony side, had this to say, "We signed him for three-and-a-half years, but will loan him out until summer to Werder Bremen."

He signs until June 2018 with the Wolves but will go straight on loan to Werder Bremen, who had been pushing to find depth in that department.

Though Werder coach Viktor Skripnik was quick to add that Casteels would not be the first-choice goalkeeper:

"I seek no new number one, I have a number one and that's Raphael Wolf. No matter who comes, they are number two, three or four."

Quotes via kicker.

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Jonathan Walsh
SoccerSight IFA commentator. VAVEL deputy editor-in-chief/VAVEL Bundesliga editor-in-chief and writer. Email: [email protected]