From the Old Lady in Turin to the Old Lady in Berlin: Sami Khedira joins Hertha BSC from Juventus with immediate effect. The 33-year-old 2014 World Champion is returning to the Bundesliga after over ten years away, in which he played 99 games (21 goals, nine assists) in the Serie A with Juventus and 102 games (six goals, seven assists) with La Liga champions Real Madrid.

“In Sami Khedira we are getting a top player who has been under contract with some of Europe’s top clubs. He will help us immediately with his experience in the Champions League, Serie A, La Liga and also with the national team at the World Cup and European Championships,” said Arne Friedrich on Monday about the transfer of Khedira, who was born in Stuttgart and will wear the number 28 shirt for Hertha. “We were together at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and played together on the pitch. I know the leadership qualities that he has and am therefore very pleased he is a Hertha BSC player,” continued Hertha’s sporting director.

The new signing is also very enthusiastic with his transfer. “Hertha made great efforts to sign me and offered me the opportunity to return to the Bundesliga. I’m grateful for that and, I honestly cannot wait for the moment when I’ll be wearing the blue and white shirt on the pitch for the first time,” said Khedira. “I feel great physically would like to use the experience I have gained in recent years to help the team and lead Hertha BSC to more sporting success,” said the midfielder, who has represented Germany at three different World Cup finals tournaments. Carsten Schmidt is also feeling positive of the 77-time (seven goals) German international’s attitude and leadership. “Sami Khedira is a successful leader on the pitch and a name that is recognised around the world. I am delighted that we have been able to bring him to Hertha BSC,” said the CEO, underlining his delight at the transfer. “I am convinced that with his personality on and off the pitch, he will give our young team the stability it needs to be successful,” concluded Schmidt.

Born in Stuttgart, Khedira started out as a youth player at TV Oeffingen before joining the youth setup of VfB Stuttgart, where he progressed through the ranks. The midfielder made his professional debut on 1st October 2006 in the Olympiastadion in a 2-2 draw against Hertha BSC and went on to make 132 appearances (16 goals, 19 assists) for the five-time German champions before securing a move to Real Madrid in the summer of 2010. Khedira spent five seasons with Los Blancos and won the UEFA Champions League, La Liga, Spanish Cup twice, UEFA Supercup and the FIFA Club World Cup on two occasions. The next stop for the 2007 German champion was Turin. In five seasons with Juventus, Khedira has lifted five league titles, three Italian Cups, a Super Cup and also reached a Champions League final. And on Monday, Sami finally returns to the Bundesliga after 3,922 days.

(Hertha BSC)