1. FC Union Berlin have signed German youth international and Hertha BSC midfielder Julius Kade on a two-year contract, which is valid for the Bundesliga and 2.Bundesliga.

The 20-year-old developed through the youth teams at Hertha, particularly impressing for the club's under-19 side. After returning from injury, Kade has made his mark on Hertha's reserves, scoring four in eight in the Regionalliga Nordost. The midfielder was given a small cameo Bundesliga debut last season, while also taking to the field for Hertha in the UEFA Europa League for 13 minutes.

"As a Berlin native, I've always followed the development of 1. FC Union Berlin," said the youngster upon his arrival. "Wearing the red and white jersey myself is an exciting step for me, of course. I think that I can take the right steps here to make further progress as a player and I'm very much looking forward to the new environment, the team and the entire club."

"With Julius, we have been able to secure a young player with huge potential. I'm sure that he can be a great help to us in the future with his speed and his movement in attack," said Oliver Ruhnert, Union's Director for Professional Football.