Lautern confirm horror ACL tear for new FCH signing Niehues

FC Heidenheim's first new signing for their (still yet to be arithmetically confirmed) second season in the German top division will remain unavailable to the Albogen club at the start of next season. Twenty-two-year-old 1. FC Kaiserslautern midfielder Julian Niehues - who recently signed with the FCH on a two-year-deal - will be out for six to eight months after suffering a horror ACL tear. 

The news proves especially grim for relegation-threatened Lautern. Nihues started 24 league fixtures for the Pfälzer Red Devils this year. Currently set for automatic relegation in 17th-placed, FCK released a statement on social media platform X Sunday afternoon noting that "an MRI examination unfortunately confirmed the fears atop the Betze." 

Niehues made a total of 80 appearances across all competitions since moving to the Pfalz from Borussia Mönchengladbach in the summer of 2021. Lautern have five league fixtures left to avoid relegation back the 3. Liga, from which Niehues helped them achieve promotion at the end of the 2021/22 campaign. 

Lautern are also set to contest the DFB Pokal Final against newly crowned Bundesliga champs Bayern 04 Leverkusen Leverkusen on May 25th. Niehues started in three of his club's Pokal round fixtures, including both the quarterfinals and semis. He scored in the opening round victory over FC Rot-Weiß Koblenz.