Overview

• Schmidt’s loan to Hannover 96 was terminated on June 4 after he failed to feature in any matchday squads.
• Fortuna Düsseldorf secured the 23-year-old on a permanent deal from SC Freiburg, where he had two years remaining on his contract.
• Sport director Klaus Allofs cited Schmidt’s Bundesliga experience and room for development as driving factors behind the acquisition.
• Christian Weber praised Schmidt’s modern defensive attributes, highlighting his left-footed distribution and pace in breaking opposition lines.
• SC Freiburg’s sports director Klemens Hartenbach agreed that a fresh environment would best support Schmidt’s growth beyond Breisgau.