Official: Bence Dardai joins Wolfsburg on a free

A transfer rumored to be in the works for several weeks was confirmed early on Saturday afternoon. Germany U17 international Bence Dardai has made the switch from Germany's Charlottenburg capital city side to Germany's green company team. The youngest of Hertha BSC trainer Pal Dardai's three sons will play for VfL Wolfsburg next season. The 18-year-old joins die Wölfe on a free.

Father Pal has commented on the signing, noting that Bence's brothers Marton and Palko both tried to convince their sibling to stay. Hertha attempted to renew Bence's expiring deal to no avail. The teenage talent - part of the Germany U17 squad that won the U17 World Cup under newly appointed German women's national team head-coach Christian Wück - simply wished to make the jump to a club with better prospects.

"It's a tough topic," Pal noted in a statement, "Hertha offered him a square deal. Both brothers tried to convince Bence [to remain]. So too did his his mother, who shed some tears. This is simply the Berlin way [at the moment]. Some players will stay here, some will leave us."

"We are delighted that Bence has decided to join us," VfL sporting director Sebastian Schindzielorz noted in a statement accompanying the signing on the VfL website, "He is a young and very talented player who took his first steps in professional football at Hertha."

"At VfL Wolfsburg, Bence has the opportunity to develop further at a high level," Schindzielorz's statement continued, "We aim to support him in the best manner possible and are looking forward to our future together."