Werder Bremen have completed the signing of Germany international midfielder Marko Marin from Borussia Monchengladbach.
The 20-year-old has put pen to paper on a four-year contract after both clubs reached an agreement at the end of more than four weeks of negotiations over a fee.
Gladbach had recently claimed that they would prefer to hold on to the player for one more season and then lose him on a free transfer next summer if Bremen were unable to match their 10 million euro asking price.
They claimed that the player could earn them a similar sum by helping them avoid relegation to the second division next season.
However, they have now accepted an undisclosed fee for the winger who is currently representing Germany's Under-21s at the European Championships in Sweden.
Marin had regularly stated his desire to move to the northern Germany side and he expressed his delight after both clubs agreed on a fee.
"I am delighted the transfer has gone through," he said on Bremen's website. "This is an important step in my development and a great challenge. I would like to help take Werder far in all competitions with my performances and, at the same time, enhance my chances of representing the national team."
Marin made his Bundesliga debut in 2007 and has gone on to make 37 appearances in the top flight and a further 31 in the second division, where he was playing when Germany coach Joachim Low made him a surprise selection in his squad for Euro 2008.
Marin made his international debut during that tournament and has since picked up six caps for Germany, scoring one goal.
His new coach Thomas Schaaf admitted he is looking forward to working with Marin. "He is one of the biggest talents in German football," he said.
"Marko is a very young player who has already been successful. We now want to improve him further and we are convinced that he can become an important player for us."
