Leverkusen sign Amiri from Hoffenheim

The cultured midfielder, 22, has followed his former Hoffenheim teammate Kerem Demirbay to Leverkusen, putting pen to paper on a five-year contract with the team that finished fourth in Germany last season.

Amiri was most recently in action for Germany at the European U21 Championship in Italy this summer, scoring twice in the last four and once in the final as his side finished as runners-up to Spain.

“Thanks to his pace, determination, keen desire to get into the box and outstanding technical abilities, Nadiem Amiri is exactly the type of player we’ve been looking for,” Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes said.

“The fact he’s already been in teams alongside players like Kerem Demirbay, Jonathan Tah, Mitchell Weiser and Kevin Volland will definitely help him to fit into our team quickly.”

Amiri missed most of the first half of last season through injury but his impressive performances for Germany’s U21 team convinced Leverkusen to move for a player they have been tracking for a long time.

The Hoffenheim academy graduate, who made 13 of his 106 career Bundesliga appearances last term, said it was “exactly” the right step for him to join a team that plays “attacking and attractive football.”

“Of course I’m very much looking forward to being able to play in the Champions League in the coming season,” Amiri told the Leverkusen website.

“But I’m more interested in the team. The squad is very good, with lots of young and talented players plus experienced pros you can learn from and work with.”

Leverkusen lost Julian Brandt to Borussia Dortmund earlier this summer, but Amiri is the fourth exciting arrival at the BayArena ahead of the 2019/20 campaign. As well as the latest recruit and fellow midfielder Demirbay, former Paris Saint-German attacker Moussa Diaby and ex-Ajax left-back Daley Sinkgraven will also be hoping to make their league debut for Peter Bosz’s side against Paderborn on 17 August.