1. FSV Mainz 05 have brought in Emil Berggreen, which has allowed Florian Niederlechner to sign on loan for SC Freiburg.
Niederlechner joins SC Freiburg
Freiburg have confirmed the loan signing of Mainz striker Florian Niederlechner. The attacker signs on loan until the summer of 2017 with a chance to make the move permanent should things be successful in his time in Südbaden.
Niederlechner joined Mainz in the summer of 2015, for a reported €2m, having impressed at 1. FC Heidenheim in the 2. Bundesliga, but has struggled to make any sort of impact for the Bundesliga side. He has made just twelve appearances (eleven as a substitute), and hasn't managed to score a single goal.
Sport-Club made a move to try and tie down Niederlechner at the same time he joined Mainz, but were unsuccessful as the club were relegated to the 2. Bundesliga. Although Niederlechner and Freiburg sporting director Jochen Saier said that talks were successful at the time.
He joins an incredibly injury-hit Freiburg side, who look to continue to mount their push for promotion on Friday as they get their 2. Bundesliga campaign back underway at VfL Bochum. With injuries to attackers such as Nils Petersen, Maximilian Philipp and Mike Frantz, one would expect to see Niederlechner make his full debut.
Saier commented on the capture of the 25-year-old: “We see Niederlechner’s dynamic playing style, robustness and impulse for goals as a strengthening of our attacking options." He continued: "We’d already had very good discussions with Florian in the summer and we’re happy that we’re now able to welcome him to the club."
The striker also gave his thoughts on the move, saying: "I’m happy that it’s now worked out with Freiburg and I want to pay back the club’s trust with good performances. I had very good conversations with Christian Streich and want to make my contribution to a successful Rückrunde.”
Berggreen brought in to replace Niederlechner
Allowing Niederlechner to leave Mainz probably depended much on the signing of Emil Berggreen. The Dane has joined the Bundesliga side from Eintracht Braunschweig on a three-and-a-half year deal until 2019.
The deal to bring the 22-year-old in will cost about €2.5m. He has a relatively successful spell in his time with Braunschweig, scoring 10 times in just shy of 30 appearances.
Standing at over 6ft 4in, Berggreen is quite an imposing figure and will offer Mainz something different to what they already have in their attacking ranks.
Mainz's sporting director Christian Heidel said: “Emil is the sort of guy we’re typically after. He’s young but has a lot of experience and we believe he has the skills necessary to be a success in the top flight."
Berggreen commented on the move to Mainz, saying: “I’ve developed pretty quickly even though my career is still in its early stages. I’m looking forward to having the chance to play in the Bundesliga."
He added: "Mainz are the perfect club for me because they have a track record of bringing through young players who go on to do well in the top flight. I want to follow in the footsteps of these guys.”
Mainz manager Martin Schmidt also spoke of his pleasure at the capture of Berggreen. "He is a big, robust forward. He’s excellent in the box. We believe that we have a squad that will be able to play to his strengths and we're delighted to have signed him."