Hertha Berlin nab Piatek for reported €27M fee

Hertha Berlin have lured Polish striker Krzysztof Piatek to the German capital.

The Bundesliga side confirmed they signed the 24-year-old from AC Milan on a permanent deal Thursday. A €27-million fee was paid to Milan, according to Fabrizio Romano of The Guardian.

"Krzysztof is an incredibly dangerous attacker who has already shown his quality and eye for goal at the highest level in the Serie A with AC Milan, as well as with his national side," Hertha sporting director Michael Preetz said. "Our attack will immediately improve in quality with this signing."

It's been a wild 18 months for Piatek. Milan signed the 10-time capped international for a reported €35-million fee from Genoa last January, and Piatek started his Rossoneri tenure in good form with 13 goals during the second half of the season.

However, the 2019-20 campaign with Milan didn't quite go to plan, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic's arrival only made Piatek's role in the squad that much more tenuous.

"I'm so happy that this transfer got done," Piatek said Thursday. "The way this club is going really convinced me that this was the right move for me and I’m so excited to play with my new teammates. I want to contribute to this development with plenty of great performances and hopefully lots of goals."

Piatek had also been linked with a move to Tottenham to help fill the void left by Harry Kane's long-term injury. Milan reportedly rebuffed the Premier League side's preference for a loan instead of a permanent deal.

It's been a busy January transfer period for Hertha. Defensive midfielder Lucas Tousart was signed from Lyon for €25 million and was loaned back to France, and Santiago Ascacibar was acquired from Stuttgart for €11 million.

Hertha's efforts have been bankrolled by Lars Windhorst's investment company, Tennor Holding B.V., after Windhorst purchased 37.5% of the club in June - the largest investment deal in German football history.