Relegation-threatened Arminia Bielefeld have announced the signing of 20-year-old left-back George Bello from Atlanta United FC, the Bundesliga club has announced.
The United States international had also been linked with a move to Belgian side Cercle Brugge, but will get his wish in playing in the German top flight.
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Bello, a product of Atlanta's academy, has seen his playing time steadily increase since making his professional debut in 2018. He made 53 league and playoff appearances with the Five Stripes, scoring three goals and adding four assists.
Announce George! 😊@_georgebello joins Arminia on a permanent move.
— Arminia International (@arminia_int) January 31, 2022
💬 "This is a dream come true for me!"
Welcome on board, George! 🙌#deadlineday #Bundesliga pic.twitter.com/RECWOsq9Kh
"In George we're getting a very fast and dynamic left back with a strong attacking drive,'' Bielefeld coach Frank Kramer said. "He's a good kid who brings that typical American enthusiasm and wants to make a difference.''
Atlanta said Bello is the club's first homegrown player to play in one of Europe's top five leagues.
"Each player has a different path in their development, but George is a shining example of one of those pathways that our club can offer,'' Atlanta technical director Carlos Bocanegra said.
The former Atlanta left-back has begun making inroads at international level, making six appearances for the United States, including two World Cup qualifiers.
Arminia Bielefeld sit in 14th place of the Bundesliga table, ahead of Wolfsburg on goal differential. The 17th and 18th place teams will drop to second division while the 16th place side faces a relegation playoff.