BERLIN, May 5 — Bundesliga side Freiburg announced on Wednesday the signing of 2014 World Cup winner Matthias Ginter, who will return to his former club from Borussia Moenchengladbach on a free transfer.

The centre-back came up through the Freiburg academy but left in 2014 to join Bundesliga rivals Borussia Dortmund before switching to Gladbach in 2017.

Ginter, 28, has been signed as a replacement for current Germany international Nico Schlotterbeck, who is leaving Freiburg at the end of the season for Dortmund.

"I wanted to do something special in my career, and there’s nothing more meaningful to me than a return to SC Freiburg and to my home,” said Ginter in a statement.

He was part of the Germany squad that won the 2014 World Cup without making an appearance at the finals in Brazil.

He won the last of his 28 international caps last November.

Freiburg are fourth in the Bundesliga with two games left and on course to qualify for the Champions League for the first time next season. — AFP