The rumor mill spun very quickly for John Brooks, who completed a big-money move to Wolfsburg on Wednesday morning.
Wolfsburg announced on Wednesday that the club has signed Brooks on a permanent deal from Hertha Berlin. The defender has signed a five-year deal through 2022 as he moves outside the German capital for the first time in his career. The transfer fee was reported to be as high as €20 million, making Brooks the most expensive American transfer in history.
“The decision to leave my birthplace was not easy for me,” Brooks said, “but after the talks with Olaf Rebbe and Andries Jonker, I wanted to go to Wolfsburg, because both of them could quickly convinced me of their plans with VfL. I would like to contribute my part to the fact that VfL can again build on the successes of the past years.”
“We are delighted to announce the signing of John Anthony Brooks,” added Rebbe, the club’s sporting director. “He is a highly-talented and ambitious young player who will help to strengthen our defense. Even at 24 years of age, he already has a great deal of experience.”
Brooks had been a regular fixture in the Hertha Berlin lineup since helping the club earn promotion to the top flight in 2012-13. In total, Brooks made 130 appearances for the club while leading it to a berth in the Europa League for next season.
He will not take part in that campaign as he moves to Wolfsburg, a club looking to strengthen following a major letdown of a campaign. Wolfsburg recently topped Eintracht Braunschweig to reaffirm their spot in the Bundesliga after finishing in a relegation playoff place. The club has, historically, been among the league’s more competitive clubs, most recently featuring in the 2015-16 Champions League.
I am glad Brooks is getting financially taken care of for him and his family. Good on you.
Wolfsburg is usually a very good team and this looks like a first of a few big money transfers to get back in the top 5. I am not worried.
Remember Chelsea was terrible last year and this year they were insanely good. Good teams have bad years.
CB tend to peak between ages 26-29, if brooks can find a run of health and consultancy look for him to jump to a top team in 2-3 years.
It’s where deering and Reyna played if memory serves
Indeed Reyna was captain there at something like age 24.
Last American to play for Wolfsburg? Kamani Hill.
Aaron Johnasson?
wolfsburg is awful. it’s a town attached to Volkswagen’s giant factory. no one needs that club. the only thing that keeps them going is VW’s cash, which admittedly Hertha does not have. with luck, the move’s a springboard to somewhere else.
The move makes sense. Wolfsburg had a bad season so they’re bringing good players to get back to the top. Good players are supposed to help their team, not the other way around.
Wolfsburg had a bad year but u can see already trying to improve and get back to competing. Hope he can stay healthy and play a full season heading into WC.(if US qualify)
Also him and J Bruma in the middle would be a deadly combination.
Considering Hertha clinched a Europa spot, and Wolfsburg just staved off relegation, is this a good move? Don’t know much about Wolfsburg, but I know they are a team who has had success in the past. Why weren’t bigger teams more interested? Either way, he will still be getting plenty of minutes in a great league.
I agree wish he had of stayed. Since Hertha is his home team and where he grew up it makes his connection to the team stronger. That was a great point you hit at about Hertha having the way better season.
self-centered comment: I am always concerned about a big move like this prior to the World Cup. Brooks is moving from a team where he was usually a starter, with Europa League too, to a team where he has to learn a new system with a new coach. Lots of changes for him personally leading up to a world cup year. That hasn’t always proved to be a positive situation for players.
With Wolfsburg paying that kind of money for a CB, he will have every opportunity to start every game. He’s leaving a team that wanted to sell him to a team that wanted to buy him. I like the move.
Wolfsburg did just stave off relegation, but they have historically been an upper echelon team. I see the move as mixed- JAB is quoted as saying that it was tough to leave his hometown, but that he was swayed by the coach and sporting director’s long-term ambition for the club. However, this seems in direct contradiction to a separate report indicating that Wolfsburg need to trim their budget by 90m next year. I think Wolfsburg is essentially Volkswagen’s team. Any have more info on this?
In addition to getting $2 million of the transfer fee, I’m guessing that he is getting a substantial boost in his yearly salary. While he certainly wasn’t hurting before, with a long term deal like this he is certainly set for life financially. Fame and fortune can be fleeting for athletes, so these considerations often loom large for them.