Jonathan Klinsmann signs his first professional contract with Hertha Berlin
Jonathan Klinsmann, son of the famous former German footballer and coach Jürgen Klinsmann, has signed his first professional contract with Hertha Berlin, the Berlin club announced today.
"It was an incredibly emotional moment for me since the club has its history in our family. I am happy for the club, the city of Berlin, and the challenge in Germany," said the goalkeeper, who belongs to the US Under-20 national team and was on trial with the Berlin club before signing his contract.
Jürgen Klinsmann has been an honorary member of Hertha since 2004, wearing the number 18, the most emblematic jersey he used in the German national team. Jonathan's late grandfather, Siegfried, who died in 2005, was from Brandenburg and was a fan of Hertha.
Klinsmann's son becomes the third goalkeeper on the squad behind Rune Jarstein and Thomas Kraft, but he will have the opportunity to gain experience with Hertha's youth teams. The club finished sixth in the Bundesliga table last season.
"Jonathan convinced us with his talent, charisma, and ambition. He will have to settle in with us and continue to develop little by little," said the club's manager, Michael Preetz, at the Hertha training ground in Bad Saarow, eastern Germany.
Until now, Jonathan Klinsmann, born in 1997 in California, played for the California Golden Bears at the University of Berkeley, and last month he participated in the FIFA U-20 World Cup in South Korea with the US national team.