Union officially seal Vertessen capture

FC Union Berlin officially unveiled Belgian striker Yorbe Vertessen as a new signing late Thursday morning. 

Belgian striker Yorbe Vertessen is now officially under contract with Berlin’s Köpenick side. A transfer held up for a few days due to injury complications at Vertessen’s Dutch club PSV Eindhoven at long last has been confirmed. After Chris Bedia, Vertessen is the second striker signing by die Eisernen in the current January transfer window. Two top axis strikers – Kevin Behrens and Sheraldo Becker – were sold off to other clubs.

Hollands Algemeen Dagblad reports that Union have paid PSV a base-transfer-fee of approximately €4.75 million. The figure can rise as high as €6 million if certain performance-related bonuses are met. If true, this would make the 23-year-old slightly more expensive than summer addition Kevin Volland; another striker who can work the top axis.

“The Bundesliga is special and so is Union,” Vertessen noted in a club statement, “Every player in the Netherlands knows that. I’m all the happier to be here now and hopefully be able to help the team and the club. I’m looking forward to my new colleagues, the stadium, and the fans. When we played here last year, the atmosphere was unique.”

“With Yorbe Vertessen, we are getting a player who has garnered a valuable [footballing] education at Eindhoven,” FCU managing director Oliver Ruhnert added, “He has already gained a lot of experience, which will be an advantage for him and us in the second half of the season. We are very pleased that he has chosen us despite having many options.”

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