Ermin Bičakčić pens new deal

"Passionate, loyal, likeable, high-performing, authentic - Ermin has become an icon at TSG Hoffenheim, both on and off the pitch," said TSG director of football Alexander Rosen in reference to the Bosnian, who has now played at his football for the Kraichgau-based Bundesliga club since July 2014. "I am very pleased that he will continue to enrich our squad with his consistent and uncompromising style of play as well as his exceptional mentality,'' added Rosen. Over the course of last season, across all three competitions, Bičakčić once again demonstrated "just how valuable he is to TSG".

The contract extension will no doubt bring joy to many TSG fans. At the last home game of the season, the club's faithful made their feelings known by flying a pair of banners which read: ''4 years of fighting spirit for TSG - give Ermin an extension.'' This public demonstration of affection and trust left ''Iron-Ermin'' both moved and honoured. ''That's the kind of recognition you don't get everyday, and it really goes to show that the fans here don't just appreciate my performances; they also really value me as a person,'' says the 29-year-old, who described the previous season as the best of his career so far. 

The hard-edged defender is also motivated by the ''feeling of home,'' which he associates with both the club and the local region. ''My relationship with TSG is a really special one. It was here that I was called up for a World Cup and I have a lot to thank the club for. I've spent the most memorable and successful stage of my life here. I can definitely envisage ending my career at TSG,'' said Bičakčić in an interview for the most recent edition of the club magazine SPIELFELD. The signing of his new deal will certainly move him a step closer to fulfilling this aspiration. 

Bičakčić arrived at TSG after spells at FC Heilbronn, VfB Stuttgart and Eintracht Braunschweig. 97 of his 128 Bundesliga appearances have come in a Hoffenheim jersey. Three of the four goals he has scored in Germany's top division have been for TSG. During his time in Sinsheim, he has made four further appearances in the Champions League, two in the Europa League and nine in the DFB Cup. He has won 27 caps for the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team, scoring three goals in the process.