Florian Grillitsch signs contract extension

One of TSG Hoffenheim's key players has decided to commit his future to the club. 23-year-old Florian Grillitsch has signed a new deal which will keep him in the Kraichgau until 30 June 2022. The Austrian international has worn the blue of Hoffenheim since the summer of 2017.

Although he's only been at Hoffenheim for two years, Florian Grillitsch has managed to secure himself a special place in the club history books. On 19 September 2018, the Austrian scored the club's first-ever goal in the UEFA Champions League, the goal coming after six minutes played in the match away to Ukrainian champions Shakhtar Donetsk. But this deft finish is far from the only way in which the 23-year-old midfield has made a name for himself at the club since arriving on a free transfer from Werder Bremen.

''Florian is an unbelievably talented footballer, who does a brilliant job at meeting the tactical and technical demands required of him in the all-important central midfield role. Again and again in matches we see him find solutions in tight spaces, allowing us to play our way out of pressure and get the ball forward to our attacking players,'' says TSG director of football Alexander Rosen, going on to add that: ''These are the qualities that have made the Austrian international a highly sought-after player, and not just in Germany. It just goes to show how strong a message Flo is sending by signing a new deal with us here.''

For Grillitsch himself, continued commitment to TSG represent ''the logical next step in the development I've been undergoing. I've obtained a lot of top-level experience here and I've been able to mature as both a footballer and a person. I'm looking forward to playing a key role in this new era under Alfred Schreuder. Alfred is somebody who I really value, both as a coach and a person, and I'm really looking forward to getting to grips with his approach to the game.''

Florian Grillitsch arrived at TSG Hoffenheim via the St. Pölten football academy and SV Werder Bremen. He has played a total of 103 matches in the Bundesliga (55 of them for TSG), scoring four goals (one for TSG). During his time in the Kraichgau, he has made six appearances in the Champions League and three in the Europa League, scoring one goal in each respective competition.