Quiet so far this summer, FC Köln have swooped for USV Jena duo, Amber Hearn and Julia Arnold as well as FFC Frankfurt pair, Anne-Kathrine Kremer and Peggy Nietgen.
Julia Arnold and Amber Hearn
One of the longest serving in Jena, Arnold joins the Billy Goats after eleven years and well over 200 appearances for USV, her last action for her long-term club, the opening goal against Wolfsburg on the last day of the 2016-17 season. Speaking on the move, Managing Director of Jena, Jens Roß admitted that they’d have liked to have kept to 26-year-old at the club but after so long it’s “easy to understand” why the midfielder would like to go elsewhere.
Well-travelled attacker and New Zealand international Hearn brings some much-needed experience with her from spells spent in England with Arsenal and Doncaster Belles, as well as a stint in Canada with Ottawa Fury before her move to Jena in 2011. Current top goalscorer for the Football Ferns with 53 goals in 120 appearances for the Australasian nation, Hearn was equally as potent in front of goal for Jena, amassing 50 goals in 148 apps.
Anne-Kathrine Kremer and Peggy Nietgen
With FFC since 2011, 29-year-old goalkeeper Kremer often struggled to break into the first-team, usually favoured as backup for the regular number one during her time at the Brentanobad. However, with over 80 appearances for Frankfurt and Frankfurt II during her time she’ll bring added experience to the side in Cologne having trained with German internationals Nadine Angerer and Desirée Schumann.
Köln’s fourth and final signing of the day was Frauen-Bundesliga favourite, Peggy Nietgen, the defender known for her time at Turbine Potsdam, Lokomotive Leipzig, and Bad Neuenahr before she moved to Frankfurt in 2013. A UEFA Women’s Champions League winner with Frankfurt, Nietgen has enjoyed success wherever she’s gone in the German top-flight and her many years in FBL will be of great help to FCK during their first season back in 2FBL.