REDS SIGN HEFELE BUT BYRAM STILL A TARGET
MICHAEL Hefele will bring ‘good character’ and the ‘experience of how to win promotion’ to the Nottingham Forest dressing room, says Aitor Karanka.
The 27-year-old has signed a three-year contract at the City Ground, as he completes a move from Huddersfield for an undisclosed fee, to become the 12th addition of the summer at the Championship club.
The German had a key role to play in the Terriers climb into the top flight just over a year ago and, while an Achilles injury played a part in limiting his impact last season, Karanka believes he will be a good addition to the Reds squad.
“He is a good character and I always like to have good characters. He is another player with Championship experience and with the experience of winning promotion,” said Karanka.
His arrival will add to the strength in depth Forest already have in the centre of defence, where Michael Dawson, Joe Worrall, Tobias Figueiredo and Danny Fox are already fighting it out for starting places. Hefele will enhance that competition - and his arrival would also bolster Forest’s ability to play with a three-man central defence, if Karanka goes down that path.
“I like that he is a good character. He is another one who could arrive and could settle in well,” said Karanka. “As a player, he is strong and he got promotion with Huddersfield, so he knows how to do that.
“After winning promotion, he did not play last season. He will be hungry. He ticks all the boxes.”
Hefele started his career at Unterhaching in his home country, before appearing for Greuther Furth and Dynamo Dresden.
The German himself has immediately targeted a repeat of the promotion he achieved with Huddersfield, now that he has joined the Reds.
“I did it once and I just want to do it again, to go with Forest as soon as possible to the Premier League,” said Hefele, who was also the subject of interest from QPR.