Bundesliga News

Kaiserslautern sign Union starter Luthe to tend goal

By Peter Weis   @PeterVicey

Newly promoted 1. FC Kaiserslautern have solved their goalkeeping situation with a major transfer coup. 

Union Berlin's regular #1 Andreas Luthe will make the switch to the Betzenberg. 
Andreas Luthe.
Andreas Luthe.
After the departure of #1 net-minder Matheo Raab, the Red Devils of the German Pfalz found themselves in the market for a new goalkeeper. Rumors that Borussia Mönchengladbach back-up Tobias Sippel might be headed back to Kaiserslautern proved unfounded. Instead, the FCK front office managed to score a major coup in the form of top division veteran Andreas Luthe.


The 35-year-old former Bochum, Augsburg, and Union gloveman brings with him the experience of 90 top tier appearances. He started 27 league games last year for the Europa-League-bound FCU. Lautern have actually managed to sign a pair of Bundesliga veterans already this offseason. Former Paderborn attacker Ben Zolinski recently arrived on a free.

"I will always look back on my time at Union with immensely fond memories," the departing Luthe noted in a statement released by his now former club, "What we have achieved together over the past few years will always fill me with a great deal of pride. Accordingly, I'd like to thank my teammates, the coaching staff, and all those who supported me."

"Andi has played a large role in the success of the last two years," Union sporting director Oliver Ruhnert noted in his own statement,  "We remain very grateful to him for the time we were able to spend together and wish him health and success in the future."

In terms of who Union might be looking for as a replacement, German footballing magazine Kicker reports that die Eisernenen might be attempting to lure Bayer 04 Leverkusen's Lennart Grill, himself a former Kaiserslautern man, over to Köpenick. Current Union back-up Frederik Rønnow made seven start last season and also has Bundesliga experience with Eintracht Frankfurt and FC Schalke 04.







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