German interest sidelines Engelhardt as Brugge lose to Fribourg

Club Brugge (Blauw en Zwart) will not sign defensive midfielder Yannik Engelhardt, who has instead agreed to join SC Fribourg, ending the Belgian club's pursuit of the German talent. The move the player will not wear the blue and black strip.

Engelhardt is currently contracted to Côme until June 2027, providing the club with a long‑term deal that runs for several more seasons. His contract details were confirmed by club sources.

The 2024 summer saw Engelhardt make his first experience abroad when he joined the Italian side Côme, marking his debut outside Germany. This was his inaugural foreign assignment.

Prior to his Italian stint, Engelhardt's career was confined to German clubs, including spells at Düsseldorf and Werder Bremen. He also spent the previous season on loan at Borussia Mönchengladbach.

Engelhardt is not unfamiliar with Fribourg, having previously been loaned there, although he only featured for the reserve team during that spell. The prior loan did not yield first‑team appearances.

Club Brugge remains in search of a replacement for Aleksandar Stankovic, who returned to Inter Milan this summer, leaving a vacancy in the midfield. The Serbian midfielder's departure created a gap the club is eager to fill.

On paper, Engelhardt matched Brugge's profile perfectly: a defensive midfielder with multi‑league experience and an age suitable for immediate impact. Nevertheless, Brugge must now explore alternative options.

The episode illustrates that German players often favour Bundesliga opportunities when available, especially when a club like Fribourg is positioned as an attractive alternative. Brugge has already been very active in the summer transfer market, with midfield reinforcement remaining a priority.

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