The 1. FC Köln has signed its first new player for the new season. The captain comes from FC St. Pauli on a free transfer.

After the 7:1 against SV Werder Bremen, there is the next positive news for the Bundesliga team 1. FC Köln.

Leart Paqarada has been signed from FC St. Pauli. The left-back will join FC on a free transfer in the summer and has signed a contract until 30 June 2026. The 28-year-old is captain at Millerntor and has made 15 appearances in the 2nd Bundesliga so far this season. He scored one goal and set up four goals. In the pre-season, he already shone as the league’s best provider in his position with ten assists.

FC managing director Christian Keller emphasises: “We are very pleased that we were able to convince Leart of our path at an early stage and that he will play for FC from the coming season. Leart has shown a consistently high level of performance in the 2nd Bundesliga over the past few years and has great quality, especially when playing with the ball. If he now also consistently develops his game against the ball, then Leart brings a total package that can do our team a lot of good.”

The transfer had already been hinted at for a few days, with Keller being quoted in the Cologne media as saying that he sees the new player as the best left-back in the 2nd Bundesliga. Other Bundesliga clubs such as Gladbach are also said to have expressed interest.

The player declared after his signing: “I am incredibly proud to be able to wear the FC jersey from next season. A whole city that lives and loves this club with full emotion. Returning to the city where I grew up and which has always meant home to me is an indescribable feeling for me. I can hardly wait to play in Müngersdorf for the first time. But until then, my full focus is on FC St. Pauli, to whom I owe a lot and with whom I always want to be positively remembered. “