Germany international Matthias Ginter has returned to Freiburg despite being offered a bigger pay packet at Premier League outfit Aston Villa, as reported by Kicker.
Christian Streich, Freiburg’s long-serving head coach, could hardly believe it when he heard the news.
Ginter, a World Cup winner and one of the best defenders in the Bundesliga, is returning to where it all began, choosing an emotional homecoming over a who’s who of European superclubs, from Inter Milan to Atletico Madrid, Roma to Sevilla.
According to Kicker, Ginter would have received a far larger weekly wage at any of those aforementioned clubs.
So too Aston Villa, a club bankrolled by American billionaires splashing out around £120,000-a-week on the likes of Philippe Coutinho and Danny Ings.
Matthias Ginter returns to Freiburg
It is not certain how much Ginter will earn at Freiburg. But a club who continue to confound expectations under the enigmatic Streich – closing in on Champions League qualification while reaching the DFB Pokal final – reportedly had second-lowest wage budget in the whole of the Bundesliga last term.
“When I first heard (the news of Ginter’s return), I thought; ‘This can’t be true’,” says Streich, rubbing his eyes in disbelief as one of Europe’s most coveted central-defenders leaves Borussia Monchengladbach to re-join the club where he started his career a decade ago.
“It’s great. He really wanted it – otherwise we would have said no. I know him, this energy, this power, the crazy ambition, his high level of discipline and the high level of footballing skills.
- How Rangers’ XI could look in 22/23, including 5 new signings
- How West Ham’s XI could look in 22/23 with 4 new signings
“He has a very good reading of the game and is good in a tackle and strong in the air. It’s a great thing. We are so happy that he is here. He is a boy from Freiburg and comes from our footballing school.”
In addition to Aston Villa, West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur were also reportedly interested in a man likened to the legendary Sergio Ramos by 1990 Ballon D’Or winner Lothar Mathaus (Sky Sports).
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
