Energie Cottbus ties down goal scorer Erik Engelhardt long-term

Numbers: 48 goals and 28 assists in 100 games

Engelhardt moved to Cottbus from VfL Osnabrück in January 2025 and scored 22 goals in 38 competitive games in the past promotion season of the 3. Liga. With his performances, he also fought his way into the top five of Energie Cottbus's all-time leading goal scorers. Overall, the native of Kulmbach has 48 goals and 28 assists in 100 competitive games for FCE.

In the past promotion round, Engelhardt contributed six assists. Squad planner Maniyel Nergiz praised the striker as a complete attacking force: "Erik ist ein kompletter Stürmer, der praktisch alles mitbringt. Er kann mit seiner Art des Spiels jeder Abwehr wehtun, darauf setzen wir in unserem Spiel auch weiterhin. Seine 22 Tore in der vergangenen Saison sprechen zudem eine deutliche Sprache."

With 22 goals, Engelhardt was the second-best goal scorer in the 3. Liga last season. His market value is estimated at 650,000 euros according to transfermarkt.de. In the new season as well, the 28-year-old, who was born on April 18, 1998, thus continues to belong to the core of the squad of the promoted side to the 2. Bundesliga.

Cottbus as a promoted side in the 2. Bundesliga

Energie Cottbus is based in Lusatia and, following the promotion, belongs to the 2. Fußball-Bundesliga in the upcoming season. According to transfermarkt.de, the 27-man squad has a total market value of 8.20 million euros. Most recently, the club had presented Lucas Copado as a new signing.

The contract extension with Engelhardt is considered a signal to the fans that the club wants to keep the squad together for the challenge in the German lower house. The attacker's nickname at FCE is "Panzer" – a name that also regularly appears in the official club communication.

"Der Torjäger bleibt an Bord", the club summarized the personnel matter. For Energie Cottbus, the extension is a building block of the sporting planning, after the club had only made the jump from the 3. Liga to the 2. Bundesliga in the previous season.

With the early agreement, both sides apparently want to create planning certainty before the new season begins. Engelhardt's previous contract would not have expired until after the upcoming season, and the extension puts an end to potential transfer discussions for the time being.