Second Bundesliga - Hamburger SV signs Davie Selke from 1. FC Cologne
Davie Selke changes from Bundesliga relegated 1. FC Köln to Second League and future league rivals Hamburger SV. As the club from the Hanseatic city announced, the 29-year-old midfielder transfers freely from the Rhine to the Elbe.
"I am very excited about HSV," Selke was quoted in an HSV statement: "HSV is one of the most exciting clubs in German football and the thought of helping bring this club back to the Bundesliga immediately appealed to me." The Hamburgers will be in their seventh Second League season coming up.
Thus, Selke returns to his former coach Steffen Baumgart. And for the striker, HSV sporting director Stefan Kuntz is no stranger: "I worked with Davie in the German U21 national team when he had a decisive role in us becoming European champions in 2017," Kuntz said and added: "Steffen Baumgart also trained him at 1. FC Köln, and we are absolutely convinced that Davie will make us stronger on the pitch as well as in the dressing room."
In the past season, Selke played 19 league games for Köln, scoring six goals. In total, the striker looks back on 238 Bundesliga games with 46 goals and 20 assists. In the Second League, he has played 30 games so far with ten goals and three assists.
- Davie Selke's move from relegated 1. FC Köln to the Second Bundesliga sees him join his new team, Hamburger SV, which is situated near the Elbe River.
- Steffen Baumgart, Davie Selke's former coach at 1. FC Köln, will now be working with him at Hamburger SV, as the latter returns to a club he is familiar with.
- Stefan Kuntz, the sporting director of Hamburger SV, has prior experience working with Davie Selke, having coached him during their time in the German U21 national team.
- The German U21 national team, led by Stefan Kuntz, became European champions in 2017, and Davie Selke played a significant role in the team's success.
- Davie Selke will be looking to help Hamburger SV return to the Bundesliga, having expressed excitement about joining a club known for its exciting football and rich history.
- Located in North Rhine-Westphalia, 1. FC Köln previously played against Hamburger SV in the Bundesliga but will now compete against them in the Second Bundesliga due to relegation.
- After seven seasons in the Second Bundesliga, Hamburger SV will be hoping that the addition of experienced striker Davie Selke, who boasts a strong record in both the Bundesliga and the Second Bundesliga, will boost their chances of promotion.
- Davie Selke's transfer from 1. FC Köln to Hamburger SV involves a change from the Rhine to the Elbe, as he moves from a city steeped in soccer tradition to a club known for its passionate fan base and competitive spirit.