After Jan Thielmann announced he would be staying with 1. FC Köln, Eric Martel has also confirmed that he will heading into the 2. Bundesliga with FC. Despite a similar clause in his contract to Thielmann, the Germany under-21 captain will continue his development in Köln.
Since his move to FC from Leipzig in summer 2022, the 22-year-old has made 59 Bundesliga appearances for FC, scoring two goals and assisting a further three. He has also played twice in the DFB-Pokal and six times in UEFA Europa Conference League qualification and group stage.
Eric Martel said: “FC and the fans are something special and I identify 100% with the city and the club. For me, it was clear very quickly that I wanted to take the disappointment from the past season and make it good again in the new campaign, to give something back to the people who always stand behind us. I’ll do everything to make that happened and I am very happy that I am able to play for this great club in the future.”
FC Managing Director, Christian Keller said: “I know Eric since he was 14 and, even then, he was characterised by his unwavering determination, down-to-earth attitude, high level of reliability and willingness to take on responsibility. These qualities can be seen in his decision to stay with FC. On and off the pitch, Eric has what it takes to be one of the defining characters of our team in the new season. We are delighted that he is taking on this challenge and wants to help take our team forward.”