Former Liverpool striker Andriy Voronin has signed a season-long loan with Fortuna Dusseldorf from Dinamo Moscow.
Ukraine international returns to the Bundesliga with newcomers
Former Liverpool striker Andriy Voronin has signed a season-long loan with Fortuna Dusseldorf from Dinamo Moscow.
The Bundesliga newcomers, who are preparing for their first season in the top flight in 15 years, completed a deal for the 33-year-old which reunites him with the man who launched his career at Borussia Monchengladbach in 1997, coach Norbert Meier.
"Norbert Meier took me from the youth team to the professionals and I celebrated my Bundesliga debut under him," Voronin said.
Bundesliga
"Therefore, the fact that Norbert is coach of Fortuna played a decisive role in my decision. I am delighted to be returning to the Bundesliga."
The Ukraine international made his breakthrough in Germany, most notably with Bayer Leverkusen, with whom he scored 32 goals in 92 games to earn a move to Liverpool in 2007.
He previously appeared for Mainz, Cologne and spent a season on loan with Hertha Berlin in 2008/09, helping them finish fourth in the Bundesliga and qualify for a place in the Europa League before returning to Anfield.
Triumphs
He joined Dinamo Moscow in 2010 but now returns to an ambitious club who hope to establish themselves back in the Bundesliga.
"We are delighted to have been able to sign a striker in Andriy Voronin who has already celebrated numerous triumphs in his career," Fortuna's director of sport Wolf Werner said.
"We are pleased to have been able to sign a striker with his quality. We are certain that he will demonstrate his goalscoring qualities with us."
Voronin has scored a total of 48 Bundesliga goals in 145 appearances in Germany's top division.
