1. FC Union Berlin have announced another new addition for their women’s team for the upcoming season with the news that central defender, Charleen Niesler, will return to Köpenick in the summer from 1. FC Köln II, having already played for Union from 2014 to 2019.

Niesler joined Union’s youth system at the age of nine and played her way through all of the club's youth sides before making the jump to the first women's team in the summer of 2014. The defender quickly established herself and played 89 times in the following five years.

After twelve years in red and white, Niesler left Köpenick in 2019 and joined VfL Wolfsburg II in the 2. Bundesliga where she became a key player, and often captained the side. After two and a half years in Lower Saxony, Niesler then moved to FC Wacker Innsbruck in the Austrian Bundesliga at the beginning of 2022. Last summer, she signed with 1. FC Köln II for whom she played played 11 times in the 2nd Bundesliga.

The views on the transfer:

"I am very happy to return to my roots and to support the team in the coming season,” said a happy Niesler on her signing. “I grew up a few metres from the Alte Försterei, spent my youth here and am overjoyed to be back. For me, things have come full circle and I can't wait to play for Union again in the summer. "

"Charleen knows 1. FC Union Berlin and will strengthen us as an experienced leading player,” said Union’s director of women’s and girl’s football, Jennifer Zietz, meanwhile. “And she is happy to be here. Due to her style of play and her personality, she is driven by success, will help the team to develop further and to take the next steps, the promotion to the 2. Liga."