Englishman Osayamen Osawe will play in the 2. Bundesliga as of next season after the Halleschen FC striker agreed a pre-contract deal with 1 FC Kaiserslautern. According to Kicker.de, the former Southport player has signed a deal lasting until 2019.
Months of speculation finally ended
Since the turn of the year, Osawe's strong form for the 3. Bundesliga side has seen him linked with a number of clubs playing in the 2. Bundesliga. The twenty-two year old and former Blackburn Rovers player has scored ten goals in thirty-one games for Halle this year, with his side sitting tenth in the table.
1 FCK manager Konrad Fünfstück spoke to Kicker.de of his excitement at welcoming a player he described as extremely quick, with a keen eye for goal and as having shown extremely high potential playing in the 3. Bundesliga. As well as his goals, Osawe hs also been involved with seven assists.
Osawe plying a sole trade
Born in Nigeria, Osawe began his career with Blackburn, before loans spells with Accrington Stanley and Hyde FC, before his move to Southport and eventually his switch to Germany. Osawe is the only englisman currently plying his trade within the top three levels of German football, the other most recent being Nottenham Forrest defender Michael Mancienne, who spent three seasons with Hamburg. Perhaps the most known Englishman to have played in German football is Owen Hargreaves, who went on to play for both sides of Manchester, after having played for giants Bayern Munich for seven years between 2000-2007, where he won seven trophies, including the 2000/01 Champions League.
He joins a 1 FCK side who have really struggled to find consistent form this season, languishing in mid-table despite challenging for promotion for the three previous years before now. Mainstays in the 1. Bundesliga for nine years up until the 2006/07 season, the Rheinland side enjoy a huge support and will be hoping to finally rejoin the top league.