“The right decision”

With pre-season set to get underway in two weeks time, Hertha BSC have announced their first summer signing. Suat Serdar completed his move to the ‘Old Lady’ on Tuesday, which had been subject to a medical. The 24-year-old midfielder was pleased about the move, saying “I knew right away that I wanted to take this step to Berlin. I’m happy to be part of Hertha BSC now and to be able to prove what I can do.” In an interview with herthabsc.de, Serdar spoke about what he’s looking forward to most, how the negotiations went and what he’s like off the pitch. 

herthabsc.com: Suat, welcome to Berlin. Can you give us an idea of what the last few days were like for you? 

Serdar: I was on holiday until Saturday. We spoke a lot with those in charge. There were some good talks with Fredi Bobic, Arne Friedrich and Pál Dárdai. That also meant that the negotiations didn’t really drag on. I was sure early on that I wanted to come to Berlin. This is the right decision for my future. 

herthabsc.com: What made you choose Hertha? 

Serdar: The talks we had convinced me that the surroundings here would be good and that I would be able to perform well. That’s important for me. I need a calm setting in order to perform to my best. That’s exactly what I’ve found here. I’m happy to be part of Hertha now and to be able to prove myself. 

herthabsc.com: What kind of player are you and what are you like off the pitch? 

Serdar: I’d say I’m a box-to-box kind of player, who defends a lot and tries to be creative in attack and get off a lot of shots. Off the pitch I’m a pretty quiet guy, and family is really important to me. 

herthabsc.com: You’ve faced Hertha BSC eight times so far in your career, with four of these games at the Olympiastadion. Now, you’re part of the Hertha family. What are you most looking forward to? 

Serdar: I’ve only visited Berlin once outside of football. There’s definitely a lot to see and experience here. The city is huge and I’m really looking forward to it. There's no question that the Olympiastadion is one of the nicest stadiums in Germany, maybe even in the world. I’m looking forward to playing at the Olympiastadion soon, hopefully in front of the fans.

herthabsc.com: You already know Niklas Stark from your time together on international duty, as well as Jhon Córdoba from Mainz and some of the other players from youth teams. Have you been in contact with many of your new teammates yet?

Serdar: I haven’t spoken to any of the boys specifically yet, but I know that all of them feel very much at home at Hertha BSC. It always makes it easier to settle in if you know a few of the players at your new club already and I’m looking forward to playing with all of them. I’m also really looking forward to getting to know the players I don’t know that well yet over the summer.

herthabsc.com: On 28th June, preparations for the new season are beginning with performance tests. What are your personal goals for 2021/22?

Serdar: I would like to achieve as much success as possible with the team. The most important thing is that we work together as a unit in order to pick up as many points as possible. No one in Berlin wants another relegation battle, so one of my goals is to make sure that doesn’t happen again. On a personal level, I want to play as many minutes as possible and help the team out with my strengths and qualities.

herthabsc.com: There are still two weeks before pre-season training begins, so how do you intend to organise that time? When are you planning on moving to Berlin and who are you moving with?

Serdar: I haven’t found a flat yet but I’m going to have a good look around. I will spend time in Mainz with my family up until the start of pre-season training and then I’ll move to Berlin on the weekend before we get the preparations underway. I’m not certain exactly who will be moving with me yet. My family will probably just come and visit me in Berlin, but there will definitely be someone moving with me.