German-American attacker Jann George has embarked on the next adventure of his career, having left Jahn Regensburg after more than six seasons for fellow 2. Bundesliga club Erzgebirge Aue.
For the 29 year-old George, who was born in Nürnberg, the move to the eastern German city Aue-Bad Schlema, near the Czech border, is his first career stop outside of his native state of Bavaria. He had spent the last six-plus seasons in Regensburg, helping the team’s rise from Germany’s fourth-tier Regionalliga all the way to the 2. Bundesliga.
After seeing his opportunities for The Red Shorts fall off the map as the current season progressed, he is taking his goal-generating prowess to the Violets, who are in desperate need of any fortifications to what has proven to be an otherwise flaccid attack.
Through 17 games in the 2. Bundesliga, Aue have scored a mere 15 goals, with their cadre of strikers having combined for a disappointing five total scores. Their leading scorer up to now is attacking midfielder Antonio Jonjic with five of his own, and no other players on the squad having netted more than two.
“Offensive player Jann George is now on the hunt for goals for the second division soccer club FC Erzgebirge Aue,” the team confirmed on their website. “With the violets, the 29-year-old has signed a contract that runs until the end of June 2023.”
Despite having drifted in and out of the Regensburg starting lineup, moreso since they began their current run in the 2. Bundesliga in 2017, George has totaled 37 goals and 27 assists for the team in 192 total appearances, with 22 goals and 12 assists in 116 2. Bundesliga games.
As indicated by Aue president Helge Leonhardt in the team’s press release, Jann will likely be seen as a like-for-like replacement for German-Montenegrin player Omar Sijaric, who the club confirmed yesterday will be out for a lengthy amount of time due to an undisclosed illness.
Sijaric had become a regular starter on the left wing of Aue’s attack prior to the Christmas break, contributing a pair of assists and one goal over a total 700 total minutes this season. Similarly, the flexible George has played a significant amount of time on both wings for Regensburg over the last few seasons, and should immediately compete for a starting role.
Aue have bounced back and forth between Germany’s second and third levels for most of the 30-odd years since German reunification, although have been a regular fixture in the 2. Bundesliga since the turn of the millennium. Currently they are in a tough spot, occupying 17th place in the 18-team division, three points below the relegation playoff spot, and six from safety.
Along with the rest of the division, Aue are in the midst of their winter midseason training camp, with a return to league play set for January 15 at St. Pauli.
George will likely already see action for his new team in a pair of training games in the interim. He will go head-to-head with Terrence Boyd and Hallescher FC on Wednesday afternoon, then the team will visit Dynamo Dresden on Saturday.
