After cruciate ligament tear
A cruciate ligament rupture in October prevented Elidon Qenaj (19) from gaining a foothold in the professional squad of second division club 1. FC Heidenheim. The 1.98 meter tall center forward should make up for that in the next season. The FCH extended the contract with the Kosovar, who was born in Böblingen, until summer 2024. Until then, the homegrown player, who was in advanced training and came from the youth team of VfB Stuttgart in 2020, can distinguish himself in Heidenheim.
“Ever since Elidon joined our first team last summer, he has impressed us with his willingness to learn and his mentality. His injury was of course all the more bitter because Eli was able to make his first appearances in the 2nd league in this short time – that is not to be taken for granted as a young player in his first year as a professional,” said FCH official Robert Strauss. He explained: “In Elidon we see a young player from our own ranks with potential and with this contract extension we want to give him the chance to continue the performances we have shown so far after recovering from his injury.”
Heidenheim’s youth history has not yet included the really big names, although in recent years former FCH talents have been able to draw attention to themselves again and again. In the past two years, Kevin Sessa (22), who has been a top performer in Heidenheim since the U19s and is now a top performer in the professional squad, and Tim Skarke (26), a long-time youth player from Heidenheim and today’s Schalke attacker, two professionals have broken the million mark in terms of market value . With the former FCH U19 junior Ufuk Akyol (25, Antalyaspor), only a Heidenheim pupil had ever managed that before. Goalkeeper Diant Ramaj (21) from Eintracht Frankfurt, who Heidenheim also brought to the club for the U19s and handed it over to Hessen after two years as a professional, also has a Bundesliga contract.
FCH has extended Elidon Qenaj’s contract by one year. The 19-year-old, who made the leap to the FCH pros in the summer and is in rehab after tearing his cruciate ligament, will continue to attack for FCH in the coming season!
— 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 (@FCH1846) February 21, 2023
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