Kiel pick up Norwegian midfielder

After defender Max Geschwill (SV Sandhausen) and Phil Harres (FC Homburg), newly promoted Holstein Kiel have confirmed their third summer signing ahead of their first Bundesliga campaign. Twenty-two-year-old Norwegian youth international Magnus Knudsen moves to Schleswig Holstein from FC Rostov for a reported price tag of around €1.5 million. 

The youngster has enjoyed two successful loan stints away from his Russian parent club at Lillestrøm in his native Norway and AGF Aarhus in Denmark. While predominately a defensive midfielder, Knudsen has managed to net three tallies at his last two league stations. Knudsen actually constitutes Kiel's second midfield signing ahead of next year. TSG II midfielder Yobel Kelati was procured in March.

"Despite his young age, Magnus has already gained a lot of experience in the professional game, including matches at the highest level in the Champions League qualifiers," Kiel managing director Carsten Wehlmann noted in a club statement, "At the same time, he still has great development potential. Among other things, Magnus brings intensity and a tactical understanding of the game and can be deployed variably in central midfield."

"I'm glad to be starting soon," the player himself added, "The new job here at Holstein Kiel is incredibly appealing and I want to get to know the lads in the team as quickly as possible. The Bundesliga has always been a goal of mine and I'm grateful to the club and the people in charge for the good discussions, the trust and the chance to prove myself and develop further here in Kiel."