1. FC Union Berlin have signed the talented Danish striker Mikkel Kaufmann, the 22-year-old joining from Danish record champions FC Copenhagen. However, it wasn’t in his homeland that the 6'2" Scandinavian made his big breakthrough, but in the 2. Liga. 

Moving south, step by step

Kaufmann grew up in Hjörring, one of Denmark's northernmost municipalities. But he left the north at an early age, moving from his home club Hjörring IF to the U-14s of Aalborg BK in 2015, getting his first international call-up two years later. Since that appearance for the Danish U-17s in 2017, he has featured in national sides representing every age group since, though Kaufmann has yet to make an appearance for the senior national team. 

After an excellent season in their U-19s, Kaufmann then played his way into Aalborg's first team’s starting XI at the start of 2019/20. Having already scored seven goals in the first half of the season, he would no longer stay at Aalborg as the Danish record champions came knocking. 

From the Danish Capital to the 2. Liga

Kaufmann immediately featured regularly in the league for FC Copenhagen, also featuring in the play-offs for the championship, but following that 2020/21 season, a change of scenery was on the cards for the Dane with a loan deal to Hamburger SV in the 2. Bundesliga. He made his mark, scoring his second goal for the club against Hansa Rostock on the last day of the season, ensuring HSV’s entry into the play-off for promotion to the Bundesliga.

Following HSV's subsequent failure to gain promotion to the Bundesliga, FC Copenhagen then sent their striker to southern Germany, Karlsruher SC securing the services of the young Dane for at least one year. If for KSC it was a season spent in the middle of the 2. Liga, for Kaufmann it proved to be the breakthrough. In 30 games he scored ten and set up another eight - Kaufmann was involved in almost a third of all Karlsruhe’s goals! Now, his newest chapter begins in Berlin-Köpenick.

Kaufmann will take on the fabled number nine shirt for Union, last worn by Andreas Voglsammer. 

Three facts about Mikkel:

• His birthplace Hjörring is twinned with Werder (Havel).
• Mikkel scored 16 goals in 17 games for Aalborg's U-19s.
• Clocking 35.63 km/h, Mikkel was the fastest Karlsruhe player last season.

Views on the transfer

"The move to Union is a huge step in my career and I am very happy to be able to take it,” said Kaufmann on his transfer to Köpenick. “In talks with the club, it became clear that I have the chance to further develop here as a young player. I'm looking forward to the new challenge and will do everything I can to fulfill my potential and put it to the service of the team." 

"With Mikkel, we get a striker who, on the one hand, still has a lot of development potential and, on the other hand, as a typical target player, already fits well into our system of play,” said Oliver Ruhnert, Union’s director of professional football. “He also showed last season how dangerous his finishing is. We are very excited about Mikkel and see him as a good option up front."