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SK Rapid has made a transfer coup. Former ÖFB national player Kevin Wimmer changes to runner-up. The 28-year-old central defender, who once worked in the English Premier League, signed a contract in Hütteldorf for the next two seasons. Rapid announced on Friday that Wimmer will terminate his current contract with Stoke City after his loan to the German second division club Karlsruher SC has ended.
The Upper Austrian is the third Rapid newcomer for the coming season after striker Marco Grüll (SV Ried) and midfielder Robert Ljubicic (SKN St. Pölten) – and by far the most prominent. Wimmer was promoted to the German Bundesliga with 1. FC Köln in 2014 and switched to Tottenham a year later. From the top English club it went to league rivals Stoke City in 2017 for a rumored transfer of 19.5 million euros. Wimmer played a total of 50 competitive games for the two Premier League clubs.
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The time in Stoke was not a happy one. This was followed by loan engagements at Hannover 96, Royal Mouscron and most recently in Karlsruhe. Wimmer has played nine international matches for the ÖFB team so far, the most recent in October 2018 against Denmark (0: 2). The defender was also in the squad at the 2016 European Championships and made a brief appearance in the 0-0 win against eventual European champions Portugal. Now he is looking forward to his return to Austria.
“I’ve been abroad for almost a decade and have learned a lot in several major football countries. Recently I had many stations in a shorter time, now I am longing for a somewhat longer-term task, ”said Wimmer in a Rapid broadcast. “In terms of sport, the club is on the right track, as the two runners-up championships in a row prove, and Rapid also has huge potential.”
Rapids Sport Managing Director Zoran Barisic is also happy about the transfer free of charge, which Sport Management Director Stefan Ebner would have played a decisive role in threading. “We had been in contact with his management for a long time and had Kevin on the radar. At Karlsruhe he made himself interesting again with good performances and I am very happy that we managed to bring a player of his format to SK Rapid, ”said Barisic. “Kevin also has a lot of experience on the international stage.”
(WHAT)
Article picture: GEPA
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