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Just in. People spotted him in the transfer list with the deadline ending today and the club confirmed after today's CL match. Fan actually approached the club. Here is the full article via Google translate.
"Sensational transfer: 1. FC Saarbrücken signs Olympic champion Fan Zhendong
Exclusive | Saarbrücken · What a transfer sensation: Olympic table tennis champion Fan Zhendong will play for 1. FC Saarbrücken.
May 31, 2025, 8:28 p.m. "What a transfer bombshell! 1. FC Saarbrücken Table Tennis made headlines around the world this Saturday. And not just by reaching the Champions League final. While Darko Jorgic fought for the last point to secure a 3-0 final score in the third semifinal match against the Polish team KS Orlicz Suchedniów in front of 2,500 spectators at the Saarlandhalle, the sports information service sid reported something truly unbelievable. According to the eligibility list for the upcoming Bundesliga season, Olympic champion Fan Zhendong would be signed. The news quickly spread like wildfire on social media, electrifying experts and sports fans alike.
At the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, the 28-year-old won the gold medal in the men's singles. He thus became the sixth player to achieve the Grand Slam as individual world champion, Olympic champion, and World Cup winner and thus considered one of the best table tennis players of all time.
A question to Erwin Berg, the sporting director of FCS. "Yes, it's true, but it's very fresh. We're still surprised ourselves. He really wants to play with us." Zhendong contacted FCS on his own initiative ten days ago. "He wants to play a season in Europe. And with us." If he doesn't join us, he wouldn't go anywhere," reports Berg, who himself seemed hardly able to believe his luck. The Chinese player wants to miss a season with the national team. He won't play all the games in Saarbrücken, but will be flown in for some Bundesliga matches. "Fan wants to play in the Bundesliga and the Champions League for us," says Berg.
The transfer was finalized on Saturday evening, although FCS was still cautious and wanted to wait to announce it. The transfer deadline ended at midnight on Saturday, May 31st. FCS thus made a sensational transfer on the last day of the transfer window.
"If Fan Zhendong plays for us, the hall is too small," explains the sporting director of the blue-blacks. Table tennis is a popular sport in China, so Chinese players from all over Germany and many interested table tennis fans from all over southwest Germany would likely come. Especially since a Chinese player of this caliber hasn't played for a top Bundesliga club in recent years, and probably never has.
Fan Zhendong already in the match on Sunday Saarlandhalle?
The league, which has already taken a step forward this season with many successful social media snippets and live broadcasts on the new specialty channel Dyn, would thus have a new drawcard.
The transfer should also work out financially, as the Chinese player expressed his desire to move on his own initiative, so it shouldn't normally be a problem.
If it works out, Fan Zhendong would even be able to come to the hall this Sunday for FCS's Champions League final against Borussia Düsseldorf. The Chinese player is currently in Europe, or more precisely, in Germany. On Saturday evening, Zhendong wanted to watch the Champions League final between Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain at the Munich Arena. So things remain exciting for FCS table tennis."
Source
Saarbrückens instagram page:
"Sensational transfer: 1. FC Saarbrücken signs Olympic champion Fan Zhendong
Exclusive | Saarbrücken · What a transfer sensation: Olympic table tennis champion Fan Zhendong will play for 1. FC Saarbrücken.
May 31, 2025, 8:28 p.m. "What a transfer bombshell! 1. FC Saarbrücken Table Tennis made headlines around the world this Saturday. And not just by reaching the Champions League final. While Darko Jorgic fought for the last point to secure a 3-0 final score in the third semifinal match against the Polish team KS Orlicz Suchedniów in front of 2,500 spectators at the Saarlandhalle, the sports information service sid reported something truly unbelievable. According to the eligibility list for the upcoming Bundesliga season, Olympic champion Fan Zhendong would be signed. The news quickly spread like wildfire on social media, electrifying experts and sports fans alike.
At the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, the 28-year-old won the gold medal in the men's singles. He thus became the sixth player to achieve the Grand Slam as individual world champion, Olympic champion, and World Cup winner and thus considered one of the best table tennis players of all time.
A question to Erwin Berg, the sporting director of FCS. "Yes, it's true, but it's very fresh. We're still surprised ourselves. He really wants to play with us." Zhendong contacted FCS on his own initiative ten days ago. "He wants to play a season in Europe. And with us." If he doesn't join us, he wouldn't go anywhere," reports Berg, who himself seemed hardly able to believe his luck. The Chinese player wants to miss a season with the national team. He won't play all the games in Saarbrücken, but will be flown in for some Bundesliga matches. "Fan wants to play in the Bundesliga and the Champions League for us," says Berg.
The transfer was finalized on Saturday evening, although FCS was still cautious and wanted to wait to announce it. The transfer deadline ended at midnight on Saturday, May 31st. FCS thus made a sensational transfer on the last day of the transfer window.
"If Fan Zhendong plays for us, the hall is too small," explains the sporting director of the blue-blacks. Table tennis is a popular sport in China, so Chinese players from all over Germany and many interested table tennis fans from all over southwest Germany would likely come. Especially since a Chinese player of this caliber hasn't played for a top Bundesliga club in recent years, and probably never has.
Fan Zhendong already in the match on Sunday Saarlandhalle?
The league, which has already taken a step forward this season with many successful social media snippets and live broadcasts on the new specialty channel Dyn, would thus have a new drawcard.
The transfer should also work out financially, as the Chinese player expressed his desire to move on his own initiative, so it shouldn't normally be a problem.
If it works out, Fan Zhendong would even be able to come to the hall this Sunday for FCS's Champions League final against Borussia Düsseldorf. The Chinese player is currently in Europe, or more precisely, in Germany. On Saturday evening, Zhendong wanted to watch the Champions League final between Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain at the Munich Arena. So things remain exciting for FCS table tennis."
Source
Saarbrückens instagram page:
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