Freiburg loan Pilař from Wolfsburg

SC Freiburg have signed Czech international Václav Pilař on a season-long loan from Bundesliga rivals VfL Wolfsburg.

The UEFA Europa League hopefuls will also have the option of a permanent deal for the winger, who scored twice in four games at UEFA EURO 2012. Pilař, 24, joined Wolfsburg from FC Viktoria Plzeň after impressing at the finals in Poland and Ukraine but suffered a knee ligament injury shortly after his arrival and has yet to appear for the Lower Saxony club.

Freiburg caretaker sporting director Klemens Hartenbach said: "In Václav Pilař we are looking forward to a very interesting player who, despite being only 24, has already amassed lots of experience."

Wolfsburg said they hope the arrangement will allow Pilař, once of FC Hradec Králové, to revive his career with regular first-team football – "which unfortunately we cannot guarantee given our current squad". CEO Klaus Allofs added: "At Freiburg, who are undergoing big personnel changes and will play in Europe, he has a great opportunity to start again. We wish him all the best." Freiburg finished fifth last season in Germany.