Bundesliga
Duda joins Cologne from Hertha
Cologne have signed Slovakian playmaker Ondrej Duda from Hertha Berlin on a four-year contract until 2024.
Duda is the Billy Goats’ second signing from the capital in as many days, following the arrival of striker Sebastian Andersson from city rivals Union Berlin.
“Ondrej is a classic number 10, who has already proven in the Bundesliga that he can both create and score goals,” said Cologne CEO Horst Heldt. “He’s a hard runner, can speed up the game and has good vision. He’s also a real asset with set pieces.”
Watch: Duda scored against Bayern Munich for the second straight year in 2018/19 (from 00:45)
The 26-time Slovakia international scored 16 goals and provided 17 assists in 71 appearances for Hertha following his arrival from Legia Warsaw in 2016. He spent the second half of last season on loan at English Premier League side Norwich City, featuring 12 times across the league and FA Cup.
“I’m glad to be here. Cologne is a club with fans I know well from the Bundesliga,” Duda himself said of his signing. “It’s an exciting challenge for me. I’ll give everything for FC.”
Duda is Cologne’s third major signing of the summer, following Andersson and goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler on loan from Hannover. They replace the attacking firepower lost by the departures of Jhon Cordoba – going the other way to Hertha –, Simon Terodde to Hamburg and Mark Uth returning to Schalke after the end of his loan.