Marvin Friedrich has returned to Union Berlin. The 30-year-old centre-back joined the club on a free transfer from Borussia Mönchengladbach on Tuesday and signed a contract running until 2028, as confirmed by the club. After four and a half years at Gladbach, he comes back to the team that helped him rise to Bundesliga prominence.
Why Friedrich left Gladbach and is now coming back
During his time at Borussia Mönchengladbach, Friedrich made 90 appearances and scored one goal, but only featured five times last season. He described that period as not the best of his career, though he acknowledged such experiences are part of football. His desire to return home had been building for some time, especially given his role in Union’s promotion and their memorable European campaign.
What Union expects from Friedrich
Club president Dirk Zingler stated that the board knows exactly what they are getting in Friedrich: a seasoned professional with well-known strengths and weaknesses. His signing aims to bolster the defence following the departures of Danilho Doekhi to Lazio Roma and Diogo Leite, who remains unattached. Friedrich emphasised he will not be given anything for free and must re-earn his place.
How the return fits into current plans
Friedrich revealed that discussions had been ongoing for a while and that he had instructed his agent to accept immediately if Union showed interest. Now he faces the challenge of breaking into a newly forming central defensive partnership, with head coach Mauro Lustrinelli yet to confirm the starting pairing. He said he is ready to start from scratch and work hard for the team.
What this means for the upcoming season
Friedrich’s return brings both defensive experience and a strong emotional connection to the club. His contract until 2028 offers stability, and his presence could be key in filling the void left by Doekhi’s departure. Union’s next match is an away fixture against Augsburg this Saturday, as listed on our fixtures page.
