Bundesliga newcomers Kiel hope to extend loan of defender Rothe
Holstein Kiel hope that they can extend the loan deal of left back Tom Rothe for their debut Bundesliga campaign next season, managing director for sport Carsten Wehlmann has said.
German under-21 international Rothe, 19, arrived last summer on a season-long loan from Borussia Dortmund and helped them gain promotion into the top flight for the first time.
"Tom has developed very well with us and we would like to continue on this path with him. But that depends on several parties," Wehlmann told Monday's edition of local paper Kieler Nachrichten.
Rothe was born not far from Kiel and came to Dortmund in 2021, playing four Bundesliga matches for them. His Dortmund contract is until 2026.
Apart from aiming to continue with Rothe, Kiel are looking for a central midfielder because captain Philipp Sander is set for a move to Borussia Mönchengladbach; and for a centre back after Colin Kleine-Bekel suffered a severe knee injury which will sideline him for a long time.
Kiel are the first club from Germany's northern-most state of Schleswig-Holstein to play in the Bundesliga.
They clinched promotion with one game to spare together with St Pauli Hamburg who will for the first time play a division above crosstown rivals SV Hamburg who for their part missed a Bundesliga return yet again.
