Pohang Steelers' star striker Lee Ho-jae, 25, of K League 1 is advancing to the European stage by joining Bundesliga 2 side SV Darmstadt 98.

Darmstadt officially announced the signing of Lee through its official website on the 29th (Korean time).

Lee will wear the number 9 jersey.

Born in 2000, Lee is a traditional striker whose strengths lie in dominating aerial duels utilizing his height of 191 cm and delivering powerful shots in front of the goal.

Making his professional debut with Pohang in 2021, he fell short of expectations with 2 goals in 15 appearances in his first year and 1 goal in 16 matches during the 2022 season, but he gradually increased his playing time and showed a steep upward trajectory.

He established himself as a regular starting forward by scoring 8 goals in the 2023 season and 9 goals in the 2024 season, and last season, he recorded a career high with 15 goals and 1 assist in 34 appearances, finishing third in the league scoring ranks.

Before his transfer this season, he scored 8 goals in 20 matches, bringing his total record for Pohang to 53 goals in 177 appearances.

Paul Fernie, Darmstadt's sporting director, evaluated, "We have followed Lee Ho-jae's development trajectory for quite some time. He is a powerful frontline striker with outstanding physicality and finishing ability. He enjoys playing the target man role inside the penalty box and excels in aerial duels and holding up play against defenders."

Through the club, Lee shared his thoughts, saying, "I am very excited to have the opportunity to continue my career in Germany. I have always watched German football regularly, and I am glad to join a club with a great tradition."

He added, "Scoring goals to repay the firm belief shown in me is my biggest motivation, and I want to play wearing the Darmstadt uniform as soon as possible."

Darmstadt is also familiar to South Korean fans as the club where former manager Cha Bum-kun first took his steps on the German stage.

Ji Dong-won and Paik Seung-ho also previously played for Darmstadt.
 
(Photo: Captured from Darmstadt club SNS, Yonhap News)