SC Freiburg have completed their move for 1.FC Kaiserslautern versatile centre-back Robin Koch, who they had been chasing for much for the summer.

The 21-year-old’s arrival will increase their options in the heart of defence, with only three central defenders currently available due to injuries to Manuel Gulde and Georg Niedermeier.

They have paid around for €3.5 million for his services, as per Kicker. No contract details have been revealed.

A regular for Kaiserslauten

Koch had re-joined Kaiserslautern in 2015, having previously played for them as a boy, signing from Eintracht Trier. His father, Harry Koch, had also played for both clubs.

After spending his first season playing for the second team in the Regionalliga Südwest, primarily as a left-back, he was brought into the first team by Tayfun Korkut early in the last campaign to play at centre-back, although his successor Norbert Meier moved him into midfielder towards the end of the season.

He had played, and started, in the vast majority of Red Devils’ games over the past year, making 27 2. Bundesliga appearances, including all three matches so far this season. Freiburg have now given him the chance to step up to the Bundesliga.

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Hartenbach pleased to strengthen options

Freiburg’s sporting director Klemens Hartenbach believes that Koch is a “gifted player with a huge amount of potential for development,” and added that they had been “following his development for a long time.” Given the “current personnel situation in central defence,” he believes it is “a good time” to have completed the transfer.

As for Koch, he said that he was “pleased” that the transfer “has worked out.” He also had “a good feeling [about the move] from the beginning,” and also said that he is “sure that SC Freiburg is the right step for me.”

Depending on whether Christian Streich decides to bring him in straight away, Koch could make his debut away at RB Leipzig on Sunday afternoon.

Quotes via SC Freiburg.

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