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FSV Gütersloh sign highly-rated Germany youth international Merle Hokamp

New signing for the 2023/24 season: Markus Graskamp (Sporting Director) and Chris Punnakkattu Daniel (Strategic Advisor & Head of Media/Communication) welcome Merle Hokamp to FSV Gütersloh. (Photo courtesy: Boris Kessler / FSV Gütersloh 2009)
New signing for the 2023/24 season: Markus Graskamp (Sporting Director) and Chris Punnakkattu Daniel (Strategic Advisor & Head of Media/Communication) welcome Merle Hokamp to FSV Gütersloh. (Photo courtesy: Boris Kessler / FSV Gütersloh 2009)

FSV Gütersloh is pleased to announce the signing of young midfielder Merle Hokamp. The 16-year-old Germany youth international is moving from SC Wiedenbrück to FSV Gütersloh in the summer and will play for the FSV first team from the 2023/24 season onwards.

Merle Hokamp is considered a great young talent and was able to prove her qualities at a young age. In November 2022, she captained the Germany U-16 national team in two international matches against Norway. At the 2022 DFB state cup tournament, she was named the best player of her year and was also one of the top performers of the Westphalian selection at the 2023 DFB state cup tournament.

FSV Gütersloh is proud to be able to sign such a talented young player as Merle Hokamp. “Merle is a great talent and we are very happy to welcome her. She hails  from this region and we are very pleased that she has decided to take the next step in her career at FSV Gütersloh,” says Markus Graskamp, ​​Sporting Director of FSV Gütersloh. “We are convinced that she will be able to develop further with us in the coming season and she will benefit from our proven qualities in promoting young talent. We will gently bring her up to the level of competitive football and support her in her development. At the same time, we are convinced that she will be a great boost for us from the very beginning with her footballing talent as well as her positive and determined mindset.”

Merle Hokamp herself is looking forward to the new challenge at FSV Gütersloh: “I’m really looking forward to the move to FSV because I feel more comfortable with the girls/women. So far I’ve only played in a boys’ team and then I noticed with the Westphalia selection/national team that I feel more connected to my teammates there.”

“The decisive factor in going to FSV was, among other things, the social environment such as family, friends and school, but also the proximity to where I live. I also had a good feeling about the team during the trial,” explains Hokamp. “My first impression of FSV is very positive, the coaches, players and people in the club come across as very friendly and have welcomed me well, which made me very happy.”

“My personal goals for the coming season are above all to earn a regular place in the team and to be able to support the team as best as possible. With regard to the national team, I wish to be nominated again and to be taken to the European Championship and later also to the World Cup. I would also like to gain promotion to the FLYERALARM Women’s Bundesliga with FSV if it doesn’t work out this season.”

“We would like to support Merle in her further footballing and personal development in the best possible way. With us, talented people have the opportunity to develop in peace and to establish themselves in a family environment. With Merle we have gained another talent from the region, which is very important to us. We are convinced that we will have a lot of fun with Merle. We are therefore very happy about Merle’s commitment and wish her all the very best for her next career step, which will take place at FSV,” says Chris Punnakkattu Daniel, Strategic Advisor & Head of Media/Communication at FSV Gütersloh.

Merle Hokamp has earned her latest Germany call-up on last Thursday, when U-16 national coach Friederike “Fritzy” Kromp nominated her for the DFB squad for the forthcoming training camp in Ireland, including a friendly against the hosts on May 11th in Dublin.

We warmly welcome Merle and wish her all the best for the future at FSV Gütersloh and the upcoming tasks in the DFB dress.