On Friday, 1. FC Union Berlin captain Damir Kreilach confirmed that he had extended his contract with the 2. Bundesliga side until 2019.
Since arriving from HNK Rijeka in 2013 for €200.000, the Croatian midfielder has taken to life with Norbert Düwel's side like a duck to water. A sizeable figure, both physically and vocally, Kreilach has made 64 appearances and scored ten goals since his move.
His play between defence and attack made him an obvious choice as captain to follow Torsten Mattuschka, and he certainly hasn't disappointed. "Damir is undisputed captain and an incredibly important leading player in our team. I am very pleased that we can continue to be able to plan with him," said Düwel.
He continued: "Damir has constantly proven that he has outstanding abilities in both the defensive and offensive areas. He has played a really good season and can leave his mark on our game in the coming years."
Kreilach himself added, "It makes me proud to play for Union. I feel very good in Berlin and we have a team that is good and can develop. I want to play with Union in the coming years to get to the top spots in the league, so I decided that the contract extension would personally send that signal."
Quotes via kicker.