Niklas Jahn makes the leap from the regional league to the Bundesliga: The 19-year-old joins VfL Bochum on a free transfer – and believes in his strengths
VfL Bochum’s fourth new summer signing is a youngster with prospects but still little experience. Niklas Jahn, a 19-year-old midfielder, joins the club that was almost relegated last season on a free transfer from 1. FC Nürnberg and has signed a contract until June 30, 2027.
“With Niklas Jahn, we are signing another promising player who meets many of the criteria of the VfL requirement profile in his position. We trust him to adapt to the Bundesliga level and will support Niklas in his development in the best possible way and develop his potential,” commented VfL sporting director Marc Lettau on the signing.
For Jahn, who measures 1.70 meters and weighs 65 kilograms, the jump is certainly a big one: So far, he has no professional minutes to his name, even though he appeared in the FCN matchday squad several times in the 2022/23 second division season and has already trained with the pros. Most recently, he played for Nuremberg’s U23s in the Regionalliga Bayern, in which he made a total of 61 appearances (two goals), 30 of them in the past season, which his team finished third in the table.
“I’m up for VfL “
Jahn, who was born in Lichtenfels and joined FCN back in 2014, is not worried about the big step. “I’m keen on VfL,” the Bochum club quoted him as saying in their press release on Thursday. “I’ve already got to know the stadium, I’ve already spoken to a few people here at VfL. I’m confident I can make the leap into the Bundesliga, I’ve already played and trained with the professionals in Nuremberg and got used to the higher tempo.”
Bochum had already prepared for the new season by signing goalkeeper Patrick Drewes (Karlsruher SC), midfielder Ibrahima Sissoko (Racing Strasbourg) and attacker Samuel Bamba (Borussia Dortmund II).
