The transfer window might have closed but that hasn’t stopped Karlsruher SC from strengthening the squad with a new loan signing.

The club confirmed on Friday that Florian Kamberi has arrived for a year from Swiss club Grasshopper Club Zürich to help strengthen the club’s forward options.

He becomes the sixth signing made by Tomas Oral’s side over the course of the summer, and the second loan arrival after that of Yann Rolim.

Instant hero for Grasshoppers fans

The 21-year-old has been a regular for Grasshoppers in the past season. He has made 32 Swiss Super League appearances since the start of the last season, and quickly adhered himself to their fans by scoring a late winner against rivals FC Zürich last August. He has found goals harder to come by since then, his last coming against BSC Young Boys in February.

He also has experience of five UEFA Europa League qualifiers this season, and has two caps for the Swiss under-21 side, and scored against England in March. He is currently with the side for their games against Kazakhstan and Bosnia and Herzegovina, although he played no part against the former on Friday.

He is described as a strong and talented striker, who should add greater variety to his new club’s attack.

Kamberi celebrates scoring for Grasshoppers. | Photo: Liga-Zwei/Imago
Kamberi celebrates scoring for Grasshoppers. | Photo: Liga-Zwei/Imago

A different kind of striker

“Florian is a type of striker that we have not had in the squad until now. With him we are henceforth even more variable in our attack,” said sporting director Jens Todt. “We are delighted that the transfer came off.”

“I am happy to be here in Wildpark and I would like to make my contribution to a successful season for the KSC,” added Kamberi himself.

Following the departures of Dimitrij Nazarov and Pascal Köpke to Erzgebirge Aue in the summer, Karlsruhe’s only strikers were Dimitrios Diamantakos, Erwin Hoffer and 17-year-old Valentino Vujinović. The club have only scored twice in four games so far this season, with Diamantakos getting both.

Quotes via Karlsruher SC.

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