Patrick Osterhage played for SV Werder Bremen and Borussia Dortmund’s youth teams. He captained BVB to the U19 Bundesliga title in 2019 and made his first senior appearances for the club’s second team shortly afterwards. Osterhage moved to VfL Bochum in 2021 and has played 61 competitive matches for VfL. The 24-year-old also has been capped by Germany at every youth level from the U18s upwards.

“When you look at SC Freiburg, you notice that the club has been on a steady upwards trajectory over the past few years. I want to contribute to this. I’m fully convinced that this is the right step for my professional development, too,” explained Osterhage. “I’m looking forward to giving it my all here and playing in the new stadium. Obviously, I’ll still be fully focused on playing for VfL Bochum over the coming weeks.”

Sporting director Klemens Hartenbach said, “We’ve had our eye on Patrick for a number of years. When he was younger, he battled through tough times thanks to his remarkable attitude. He can play anywhere in the midfield and we’re convinced that he still has a lot of potential. Patrick can pass well, but also likes to shoot himself. He’ll be a great addition to the side given his dynamism, pace and excellent stamina. We’re really excited.”

Both parties have elected not to disclose the terms of the deal.