Rot-Weiss Essen had him on their radar, but ultimately signed Jannik Mause instead: Maximilian Breunig is moving to a second division club instead.
Nothing came of a move to Rot-WeissNext ex-Schalke player arrives – this time on loan with an obligation to buy
Eintracht Braunschweig seems to have a soft spot for former Schalke players. Because now there’s another one there.
Ron-Thorben Hoffmann, Sven Köhler, Lukas Frenkert, Mehmet Aydin, Lino Tempelmann, Sidi Sané, Sebastian Polter: these seven Eintracht Braunschweig players have one thing in common: they all have a past at FC Schalke 04.
Now the eighth player with a royal blue past is on board: Florian Flick is joining coach Heiner Backhaus’s team on loan. In addition, a purchase obligation has been agreed between the two clubs. The 25-year-old will wear the number six jersey for Eintracht with immediate effect.
“We have always said that we want to sign another number six to stabilize the center. Florian Flick is exactly the player we need. Florian already has a wealth of experience in German professional soccer and has proven that he is a real asset not only on the pitch but also as a leader,” said Braunschweig’s sporting director Benjamin Kessel.
He added: “He is a strategic player with positional awareness, game intelligence, vertical solutions, and a ball-winning mentality. Florian is a fine character who will quickly integrate into the team and should definitely take on leadership roles. In our discussions, he clearly showed us that he is eager to take on the task with us and wants to be a Braunschweig Lion.”
The midfielder’s career began in the youth department of SV Waldhof Mannheim, where he played for the U17 and U19 teams, among others. In 2018, he signed a professional contract with SVW (19 games, one goal), followed two years later by a move to the Ruhr region to join FC Schalke 04’s second team. Just under a year later, he became an integral part of the Royal Blues’ professional squad, for whom he made a total of 12 appearances in the Bundesliga and 27 in the 2. Bundesliga (two goals).
In January 2023, he moved to 1. FC Nürnberg on a six-month loan. He impressed at the Middle Franconian club, and FCN signed him on a permanent contract in August of the same year. In 68 appearances, he scored three goals and provided one assist.
“I am very happy to be able to wear the Eintracht jersey in the future. The club has a great tradition and it will be something special to be able to experience home games at the EINTRACHT-STADION from now on, not as an opponent, but with the red lion on my chest. I want to do my part to help us achieve our goals together and I’m looking forward to the challenges ahead with the team,” said Flick. Essen: While RWE has strengthened its attack with Jannik Mause, Maximilian Breunig is moving to the 2nd division. The striker, who was on the Essen roster, is moving to 1. FC Magdeburg on loan. The 25-year-old striker played 13 Bundesliga games (two goals), five Conference League games, and two DFB Cup games (three goals) last season. At FCM, he will wear the number nine jersey. “FCM is a traditional club and stands for attractive soccer in the 2nd Bundesliga. I am very much looking forward to being a part of it and especially to the great atmosphere at the home games in Magdeburg,” said Breunig.
The departure of top scorer Martijn Kaars to Bundesliga club FC St. Pauli has left a vacancy in Magdeburg, which Breunig is now expected to fill. “In Maximilian, we are getting a striker who was trained in Germany, who has caught our eye since his time at Freiburg and who has recently gained Bundesliga experience. He gives us another option in attack and we are convinced that he will help us move forward,” said Magdeburg’s sporting director Otmar Schork.
Coach Markus Fiedler added: “Maximilian will enrich our offensive play with his height, presence, and finishing skills. He gained valuable Bundesliga experience last season and will help us move forward.”
Breunig was born on August 14, 2000, in Würzburg. Until the summer of 2015, he played in the youth teams of SpVgg Greuther Fürth, and until 2018, he played for Würzburger Kickers in the U17 and U19 teams. This was followed by a one-year loan to FC Ingolstadt’s U19 team. There, he scored 15 goals and provided one assist in 22 games in the U19 Bundesliga. In 2019, he returned to Würzburg, made the leap to the men’s team and scored three goals in eleven third division games. In September 2020, Breunig was loaned to Admira Wacker, then in the Austrian Bundesliga. The 1.95-meter striker made 23 appearances (five goals) in the Bundesliga. After returning to Würzburg in the summer of 2021, he made 21 third division appearances (three goals).
The attacking player moved to SC Freiburg II in the summer of 2022. In 42 third division games, he scored 14 goals and provided two assists. Last summer, he finally made the move to Heidenheim.