Yesterday, Jonas Hofmann signed an extension with the Foals until 2025, with the option of a further year. This Tuesday, the midfielder and sporting director Roland Virkus answered questions from journalists in regard to this extension.
Jonas Hofmann speaks on...
...the reasons for extending his contract: There were different reasons for me. Of course, you have lots of thoughts and you discuss it not only with your inner circle but also with the club. The conversations with the club’s hierarchy were very honest and open. They’ve taken good care of me. One good reason is that I feel very comfortable here. The sporting reasons were also extremely important for me. I noticed in pre-season that there is a good plan here and something is growing here. Also, the fact that other key figures like Alassane Plea have committed themselves to the club was a decisive factor. Sometimes it’s good to know what you have.
...the timing of his decision: I’ve given a lot of thought to my future in the past few weeks. It’s nice when issues like these are cleared up. Things developed so positively during our conversations and the pre-season that the time came when I wanted to make my decision. There were no longer any reasons to wait.
...potential offers from other clubs: Whilst I was considering my future, other clubs were a possibility. I think it’s fair to think like that. But in the end, there were clearly many more reasons to choose Borussia.
...the current progress of the squad: We have real quality in the squad. Now it’s important to carry out what the coach is demanding from us. There is a clear goal behind it; you could see that from the beginning. During pre-season we had lots of sessions to get to grips with what the coach wants to see.
...his role in the Germany team: Things have been going uphill for me, especially since the Nations League. Nevertheless, there are still a few months until the World Cup. Even if the national team coach has been praising me in recently, I’m not getting carried away. I definitely know that I must still deliver good performances before the start of the tournament if I want to be on the plane to Qatar.
Roland Virkus discusses...
...Jonas Hofmann’s contract extension: We’re really optimistic that Jonas has chosen this path. In recent years, he has developed into a leading figure at Borussia and into a national team player. He is proof that you can grow and achieve your goals at a club like Borussia. We are currently in the process of rebuilding and we want to start turning our attention to Europe again at some point. This will take some time, but we need familiar faces – and Jonas is one of them.
...other possible contract extensions: Of course, the decisions of Jonas Hofmann and Alassane Plea to extend their contracts can help us to successfully complete the open contracts of other players. We are having very positive talks with the players whose contracts we would like to extend, but I’m not physic and so cannot tell you if or when the next announcement will come. We will make it when the time comes.
...the state of personnel: I prefer to work in the background within the parameters that I am given, rather than doing a lot of talking. The current situation is positive, but it would be wrong to start celebrating. It’s important to remain humble and to stay concentrated as there are still a few personnel issues to clear up.
...the possibility of further signings: Of course, we are watching the transfer market, but we are not becoming impatient about potential new arrivals. We are calmly weighing things up in order to find good solutions for the club that fall within our means.
