Brentford have officially announced the signing of 19-year-old rising star Yannick Schuster to a five-year contract.

Brentford announced on Friday that RB Salzburg centre-back Yannick Schuster will officially join the club next season. The two sides signed a contract until June 30, 2031, with an option to extend for another year.

Schuster's contract with RB Salzburg was originally set to expire in 2028. His base transfer fee was expected to be €18 million, plus €2 million in performance-related bonuses.

Regarding Schuster's arrival, Brentford manager Keith Andrews commented: "I am very pleased to have signed Yannick. He has made many appearances for Red Bull Salzburg in high-level leagues. He is a player with great potential, and we believe he is worth developing."

“He is a young man I greatly admire. He is determined to reach his full potential. He will definitely integrate well into the first team.”

The 19-year-old Schuster, a product of RB Salzburg's youth academy, will make his professional debut on October 21, 2023, at Red Bull's satellite club, Levlin. He has already made 30 appearances for Red Bull Salzburg and is widely regarded as one of the best young Austrian defenders.

After completing the signing, Schuster excitedly said, "It feels amazing. I'm really looking forward to starting training, meeting everyone, and getting to know the players, staff, and fans."

“Brentford is perhaps the best club in the world at developing players. Every conversation has made me feel good about this transfer and full of confidence. The club’s ability to develop unknown players into successful ones is truly impressive.”

"I am very excited to see the current center-backs in the team. I believe I can learn a lot from them. If I train with them every day, I will gradually master some abilities that I do not yet have."

“I hope to grow as a player and personally. This is a new country and a new language environment for me, and I’m very excited about it.”

Image source: Internet/Brentford official website