The Wolves have strengthened their defensive options by signing Marin Pongracic from Austrian champions RB Salzburg on a four-and-a-half-year contract until 30 June 2024. The 22-year-old, who has been given the number 22 shirt, will join his new team-mates in training on Wednesday.
“Quick and good at building play from the back”
“The new year couldn’t have started any better for me from a sporting perspective,” said Pongracic, who completed his medical and put pen to paper on his VfL contract on Monday. “I’m looking forward to the new challenge in the German Bundesliga. VfL Wolfsburg are an ambitious club with high expectations, with whom I want to take the next step in my career. Big thanks also to RB Salzburg, where I had an enjoyable and successful time and improved enormously.”
“Our defensive options have increased considerably with the acquisition of Marin,” said VfL sporting director Marcel Schäfer. “He’s quick and good at building play from the back. Despite his young age, he has also gained considerable experience at both domestic and European level during his time at Salzburg.”
Bayern academy graduate
Born in the Bavarian city of Landshut on 11 September 1997, Pongracic is of Croatian descent. He started out in FC Bayern Munich’s academy before continuing his footballing education in the youth team of FC Ingolstadt 04. The 1.90-metre defender joined TSV 1860 Munich’s second team in 2016 and was soon promoted to the senior squad, with whom he made six appearances in Bundesliga 2.
After 1860’s relegation he moved to Austrian side RB Salzburg, where he made 34 league appearances as well as six in the Europa League and one in the Champions League. The right-footed defender lifted the Austrian title in 2018 before helping Salzburg win the domestic double the following season. He has also won three caps for Croatia’s Under-21s.
