Next piece of the puzzle: 1. FC Köln signs striker Marius Bülter

Bundesliga club 1. FC Köln has signed striker Marius Bülter from TSG Hoffenheim. The club announced this on Thursday afternoon.

The 32-year-old signed a contract with FC until 2027. Neither club disclosed the transfer fee. According to media reports, the club is paying a transfer fee of approximately €1 million to €1.5 million. Bülter's contract with Hoffenheim originally ran until 2026.

"Marius not only brings versatility and Bundesliga experience, but has also made it very clear in our discussions with us that he is passionate about the challenge at 1. FC Köln. We are convinced that he is an excellent fit for us both athletically and personally. With his quality and mentality, he will further increase the competition in our attack," says Sporting Director Thomas Kessler.

Bülter is the second external signing for the attack, following Ragnar Ache (1. FC Kaiserslautern). TSG, in turn, is at least slightly thinning out its XXL squad with the departure.

The attacker joined TSG from FC Schalke 04 two years ago for a three million euro transfer fee. Previously, he played a key role in the Royal Blues' second-division title win in the 2021/22 season with ten goals and 13 assists, and was considered a fan favorite at Schalke due to his mentality. Last season, Bülter scored seven goals and provided four assists in 25 games for TSG. In total, Bülter has made 146 Bundesliga appearances for TSG, Schalke 04, and Union Berlin.

"Right from the first inquiry, I thought this could be a good fit. The discussions were very good – and of course, I've played here a few times before; the FC and the stadium with its atmosphere are great. So the overall package was right for me. Driving over the Rhine Bridge on Wednesday evening was really special – I'm really looking forward to coming to Cologne," says Bülter.

FC coach Lukas Kwasniok had already expressed his delight before the official announcement: "Despite his 32 years, he's interesting to us. That's simply because he's hungry. The lowest common denominator among us is hunger. Marius has only been a first-division professional for five years. It's something special for him to be able to play for FC in front of 50,000 fans."

Bülter can "actually play all positions up front," emphasized Cologne's new coach. "He can play on the right, the left, move into the half-spaces, or play as a midfielder. We were looking for that kind of power and a certain amount of Bundesliga experience – without being satiated. And also variability and flexibility in terms of positioning," said the 44-year-old.

Our sources:

• Press release 1. FC Cologne
• News agency DPA

• 1. FC Cologne
• Bundesliga
• football