Puerta joins Tigers on loan from German champions Leverkusen

NEW ARRIVAL: Gustavo Peurta

By Simon Bristow, Co-Editor

Colombian midfielder Gustavo Puerta has joined Hull City on a season-long loan from German champions Bayer Leverkusen.

The deal for the 21-year-old includes an option to sign him permanently next summer.

Making ten appearances for Xabi Alonso’s men last season, Puerta featured on seven occasions during their invincible Bundesliga title triumph and three times in Die Werkself’s run to the Europa League final.

Each outing ended in victory, with his two starts for the club coming in 2-0 and 5-1 Europa League group stage wins over Swedish side Häcken and Norwegian team Molde respectively.

He scored three goals in 31 matches for Colombian club Bogotá before signing for Leverkusen in January 2023, and spent the rest of the campaign on loan at Bundesliga 2 outfit Nuremberg.

The diminutive midfielder captained his country to third place at the 2023 South American Under-20 Championship and to the quarter-finals of the Under-20 World Cup later that year.

Earning 33 caps in total for the Under-19 and Under-20 age groups, netting five goals and recording eight assists, the youngster has twice been on the bench for the Colombia senior side.

Puerta is the Tigers 11th signing of the summer.