VfL Wolfsburg have signed Peruvian central defender Carlos Ascues to a three-year contract. This will be the player's sixth club in his career, having joined the German side after spending half a year with FBC Melgar in his native Peru.
Breakout star
The Bundesliga club finished second to Bayern Munich last season and is boosting its squad as it prepares to compete in the UEFA Champions League and to challenge Bayern in the domestic competition. Ascues played in all six matches for Peru at the recent Copa America in Chile where they finished third place. The defender was instrumental alongside Carlos Zambrano, who also plays in the Bundesliga at Eintracht Frankfurt.
Wolfsburg's sport director Klaus Allofs stated the club has signed a "versatile player" who can not only defend but help in the attack as well. The Peruvian is the fourth player to join the Bundesliga runners-up this summer, alongside German forward Max Kruse of Borussia Mönchengladbach, Belgian goalkeeper Koen Casteels from Werder Bremen, returning from a loan spell and Swiss Francisco Rodríguez from FC Zurich.
South American flair
Ascues will also be fourth South American alongside the three Brazilians at the club. (Luiz Gustavo, Naldo and Felipe).
"I am absolutely delighted and grateful to be able to play in Germany and to have the chance to prove myself in one of the strongest leagues in the world," he told Wolfsburg's official website. He said that the transition from Peruvian to German football "is not going to be easy", but he will do "everything to settle in quickly" and integrate within the team. He added his determination to help them be "as successful as they were last season".
Ascues passed a medical in Germany on Wednesday and linked up with his new teammates on Thursday. Manager Dieter Hecking said as he believes he is an important part for Wolfsburg's UEFA Champions League run: "He's got the potential to make the grade in the Bundesliga in the long term."