Opportunity seized as Tim Drexler joins first-team squad

"We already had the clear goal of integrating Tim into our professional squad by the summer at the latest. However, due to our personnel situation, he has taken his chance now and earned this early step-up through his performance in training and his two very solid and refreshingly composed performances in the Bundesliga," says Pellegrino Matarazzo, adding: "Integrating talented youngsters like Tim Drexler is an essential part of this club's approach. I am convinced that Tim will continue to develop with us over the coming weeks and months and that we will really enjoy working with him."

"Tim is undoubtedly a great defensive talent with incredible potential for development. He not only proved that in his two recent Bundesliga appearances for our first team, but also through the key role he's played for the U23s this season," said Alexander Rosen, TSG's managing director, adding: "Tim not only impresses with his carefree attitude and his very composed and calm style of play for a 19-year-old, but also with his impressive speed."

Rosen explained that developing young players in an optimal environment and preparing them for the world of professional football in the long term has always been a fundamental part of Hoffenheim's identity as a club. And this will remain the case in the future. "Tim is the next positive example of how young players can earn a spot in our first-team squad by performing well and showing a high level of commitment in daily training sessions," said the TSG managing director.

Tim Drexler joined TSG Hoffenheim's academy at the age of 11 and has since progressed through all of the Kraichgau club's youth teams. This season, the Bruchsal-born defender has not only become a permanent fixture and regular in Hoffenheim's Regionalliga team, but has also recently been given a taste of Bundesliga football with the senior squad under head coach Pellegrino Matarazzo in matches at Eintracht Frankfurt and at home against VfB Stuttgart. He even started against the Swabians. Drexler has played a total of two Bundesliga games in his young career, 20 games for TSG's U23 team (one goal) and has played for all of the Germany youth teams since U16 level. The 19-year-old centre-back is part of the German U19 national team and is currently in Croatia for the elite round of European Championship qualifiers, which includes matches against the host nation as well as Romania and Turkey.