Pacey striker on board for the 2016/17 campaign
- Striker Elias Kachunga joins Huddersfield Town- 24 year-old arrives on season-long loan from FC Ingolstadt
- HTAFC Head Coach David Wagner comments
Huddersfield Town has completed the signing of striker Elias Kachunga on a season-long Standard Loan from Bundesliga side FC Ingolstadt 04.
The loan deal between the two clubs, which officially begins on 1 July 2016, will also give Town the option to purchase the 24 year-old at the conclusion of the 2016/17 campaign.
Standing at just under 5’ 10” tall, the pacey striker has previously been capped by Germany at Under-21 level but has Congolese heritage and could also play for the DRC internationally.
Elias started his career at Borussia Mönchengladbach, initially playing for the second team in the German fourth tier; the Regionalliga West.
He made his first strides into the Club’s First Team from 2010, making two substitute appearances in the Bundesliga that year.
However, Kachunga subsequently had three loan spells away from the Club to gain further senior experience.
His first came at 3. Liga side VfL Osnabrück in 2012, where he scored an impressive 10 goals in just 16 starts and one substitute appearance.
That form saw him move up the leagues to join 2. Liga side Hertha BSC for his next loan spell where he notched three goals in 11 starts and four substitute appearances.
Elias then helped SC Paderborn gain promotion to the Bundesliga in the 2013/14 campaign. Playing a mixture of up front, on the right wing and just behind the main striker, he grabbed six goals and 12 assists in 28 starts and six substitute appearances as his team finished second in the 2. Liga.
His performances on loan led to a permanent transfer to the newly promoted club that summer and Elias scored six goals in 24 starts and eight substitute appearances in Paderborn’s sole season in the German top flight.
Although Paderborn was relegated, Elias stayed in the top division. He became FC Ingolstadt’s record signing last summer when he joined the Club for a reported €1.5 million on a contract running until 2018, but he only made three starts and seven substitute appearances in 2015/16.
In total, Kachunga has 43 goals and 21 assists in 124 senior starts and 39 substitute appearances ahead of his move to England.
Huddersfield Town Head Coach David Wagner commented:
“This transfer is perfect for us, as we get to see how Elias adapts to English football first. If he does as well as we believe he can, a permanent transfer is our option.
"It's our aim to help him quickly get back to the level he had in Paderborn, where he was one of the highest rated young strikers in the Bundesliga in Germany. Sometimes you need a hard experience as a young player, which he had last season, to make steps forward.
“I'm very happy to have Elias in our squad and I'm sure with his pace, mobility and working attitude he gives another great option up front, which we needed for the upcoming season. It was a big target of ours in this summer window to bring in senior competition for Nahki Wells and I believe that is what Elias will give.”
Welcome Elias to Huddersfield Town; he’s on Twitter @ekachunga15 and Instagram; kache25.
Watch Elias and the Terriers in action in 2016/17 with a Season Card - just £179 adults!
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