Christian Fuchs Signs For Leicester City

Fuchs, who operates primarily at left back, becomes Nigel Pearson’s first signing of the summer and brings a wealth of experience with him to the Barclays Premier League, having spent a number of seasons playing in the Bundesliga and in the Champions League. 

The 29-year-old, whose surname in German translates to Fox, told Foxes Player: “I’m happy that I’ve signed for Leicester City. It was always a goal for me to play in the Premier League, and I’m happy that this dream has come true. 

“Everybody watches the Premier League. I think it’s the best league in the world. Leicester City is a new experience and new challenge for me.” 

A set-play specialist, Fuchs started his professional football career at Wiener Neustadt SC in 2002, before joining Austrian side SV Mattersburg, where he would go on to notch up over 100 appearances. After spells at three youth levels for Austria, he made his senior international debut during that time in a friendly fixture against Croatia in 2006. 

After plying his trade in the Austrian top-flight for five years, the versatile full-back made the switch to then German Bundesliga side VFL Bochum, as well as representing his nation at the 2008 European Championships against Germany. He spent three seasons at the club, while completing the 2010/11 campaign, his final year at Bochum, on loan at FSV Mainz 05. 

In the summer of 2011 Fuchs joined Schalke, where he would reach the pinnacle of club football, playing three consecutive seasons in the Champions League. 

As well as helping his side finish third in the Bundesliga, a productive Europa League run, in which Schalke reached the quarter-finals only to be knocked out by eventual finalists Athletic Bilbao, ran alongside a fine 2011/12 campaign, with Fuchs making over 30 appearances in all competitions in his debut season. 

Schalke’s third-place finish that year meant they qualified for the Champions League in the following campaign, where they would be beaten in the Round of 16 by Turkish side Galatasaray, as well as finishing fourth in the league. Again, Fuchs surpassed the 30 appearances mark for the second season in a row, while also competing in the 2014 World Cup Qualifiers for his nation. 

Another successful campaign in Germany’s top flight saw Fuchs’ Schalke end the 2013/14 Bundesliga season in third position, while a masterclass from eventual Champions League winners Real Madrid meant the Royal Blues exited the competition at the Round of 16 stage. Further international appearances again ran parallel to his club involvement. 

The 2014/15 campaign is certain to live longest in Fuchs’ memory after the defender opened the scoring at Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu Stadium back in March, eventually helping his side to an astonishing 4-3 Champions League victory in Spain. A 2-0 defeat for Schalke in the first leg, however, meant Fuchs’ side were knocked out in the last 16 on aggregate. 

Making over 30 club appearances that season, Fuchs took his total for Schalke to nearly 100 games, also helping his country to 2016 European Championship Qualifying wins over Liechtenstein and Russia in the meantime. 

He will now look to be involved in Austria’s upcoming group fixture against Fabio Capello’s Russia on Sunday 14 June – Fuchs’ nation are currently unbeaten in Group G, sitting top of the table after five games, four points above second-placed Sweden. 

After returning from international duty, Fuchs will then link up with the Leicester City squad at their pre-season training camp in Austria in preparation for his debut campaign in the Premier League.