Midfielder Engelhardt returns to Freiburg, now in first team

Midfielder Yannik Engelhardt is returning to Freiburg in a transfer from Italy's Como and will now play in their first team, the Bundesliga club said on Saturday.

Freiburg gave no contract details regarding the 25-year-old who had played for their under-23 reserve team in the third tier 2021-2023.

Engelhardt joined Como in 2024 from Fortuna Dusseldorf and played in the Bundesliga last season on loan at Borussia Mönchengladbach.

"The connection to SC (Freiburg) never ended - to players and club officials. It feels really good to be back in Freiburg. The ambitions are high, that's what I like, and I am hungry to start," Engelhardt said.

The news came the day after Freiburg sold young Swiss forward Johan Manzambi to Aston Villa, their victorious opponents in the Europa League final in May, for a club record fee which could amount to €70 million ($80 million).

Freiburg, who finished seventh in the past Bundesliga campaign, start the season on August 20 with the first leg of a Conference League play-off tie. Their first Bundesliga match is on August 30 against Werder Bremen.