Official | Hoffenheim confirm arrival of Yannick Eduardo and departure of Mërgim Berisha | OneFootball

Hoffenheim have confirmed two pending transactions involving strikers. RB Leipzig center-forward Yannick Eduardo’s move to Kraichgau (via Dutch loan club Dordrecht) and Mërgim Berisha’s switch to the Betzenberg and 1. FC Kaiserslautern are now both official. 

Eduardo heads to the Hoffenheim reserves

Even though Eduardo cost the Sinsheimers upwards of €2m, the Czech U21 international (like fellow new TSG signing Luis Engelns) will head straight to the Hoffenheim reservers in the 3. Liga. TSG academy director Frank Kramer handled Eduardo’s welcome statement while RB Leipzig sporting director Marcel Schäfer also bid the player the German Red Bulls loaned out thrice an official farewell. 

“Yannick is a fast center forward with strong aerial ability who brings the necessary goal-scoring threat and fits very well into our playing style,” Kramer noted in a club statement “He has demonstrated this with his goals in the first half of this season. He will regularly gain important playing experience in our U23 team and develop with a view to reaching our Bundesliga level.“

“Yannick has developed excellently in the Netherlands and has taken the next steps in professional football,” Schäfer added. “That’s exactly what we all hoped for from the loan. We wish him all the best and every success in his future career. Even if it doesn’t lead via Leipzig, we are delighted to have brought another player into the Bundesliga.”

Berisha expected to help out Lautern immediately

The exiled former German international has been procured by die rote Teufel as an immediate replacement for leading goal-scorer Ivan Prtajin; who suffered a season-ending ACL tear this weekend. As reported earlier, Hoffenheim have not collected a transfer fee for the 27-year-old. Berisha’s contract has been dissolved. Hoffenheim have nevertheless received a 30 percent re-sale guarantee from Lautern if Berisha can revive his career. 

“This is a very attractive environment,” Berisha noted in his FCK welcome statement. “And I look forward to repaying the trust of those responsible with performances on the pitch.“

GGFN | Peter Weis