Jin-Su Kim pens contract with TSG until 2018

“Both parties have been clear about their desire to collaborate and now it has happened,” said TSG 1899 Hoffenheim sporting director Alexander Rosen. The defender, who was most recently at J-League club Albirex Niigata, is very much looking forward to the “challenge of the Bundesliga”.

The fact that the left back could even travel to the Kraichgau to complete his move is down to a ligament injury in his ankle, which has hindered Kim's appearance at the World Cup. As a regular for his country (nine appearances), he was a member of national coach Myung-Bo Hong's 23-man squad, but with injury ruling him out of their World Cup preparations, he was ultimately dropped. “It's a real shame for the boy;” said Alexander Rosen, who is looking forward to having a “rested, aggressive and energetic defender. The fact that, as a youngster, Jin-Su Kim was a key player for his team speaks for itself.”

Jin-Su Kim's debut in the J-League came in March 2012. He went on to make 76 competitive appearances for Albirex in total. He has also collected international experience with his country's youth teams, playing at both the U17 World Cup (2009 in Nigeria) and the U20 World Cup (2011 in Colombia).