Official | Luca Waldschmidt joins FC Köln | OneFootball

FC Köln have today announced the signing of Luca Waldschmidt (27) on loan from Wolfsburg until June 2024.

“I am really looking forward to the club, the coach, my new team-mates, the fans and the stadium,” Waldschmidt told the club’s official channels. “I was able to play here a few times and I know what a difference the atmosphere here can make. The atmosphere that the fans create is something special.

“Now I want to experience that as much as possible in an FC kit and be successful doing so. I can feel that everyone here is raring to go, have plenty of energy and have a real plan.”

Waldschmidt joined Wolfsburg from Benfica in August 2021 for €12m but has played just 37 games across all competitions, scoring six and creating two. Last season under Niko Kovac, Waldschmidt played just 512 minutes across 18 Bundesliga games.

The 27-year-old is under contract at Wolfsburg until 2025 and according to Kicker, there is no talk of an option to buy in the loan move.

Speaking about the signing of Waldschmidt, Köln Managing Director Christian Keller stated that they had “been in contact with Luca for a while.”

Köln finished 11th last season but struggled for goals with just 49 in 34 games, seven of which came in their home game against Werder Bremen. Sargis Adamyan and Steffen Tigges arrived at the club following the departure of Anthony Modeste to Borussia Dortmund but scored just seven goals between them.

The January arrival of Davie Selke has eased the goalscoring burden whilst the signing of Waldschmidt will add to Baumgart’s firepower in the absence of Mark Uth, who has struggled with injuries.

GGFN | Daniel Pinder