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The vastly successful midfielders Mortiz Fuerste and Oliver Korn are among the players from Germany, 2008 and 2012 Olympic champions, who have signed up for the Players’ Auction to be held next month in the run up to the six-team Hockey India League that will begin on 5 January 2012.

Striker Deecke Oskar and goal-keeper Jacobi Nicolas, both members of the 2012 Olympic gold medal winning team, are the other prominent names from Germany. Hockey India Secretary-General and Hockey India League Chairman Dr Narinder Batra said the eagerness of world class players to showcase their skills was a confirmation that Hockey India League is becoming a sought-after event.

“We are overwhelmed by the overseas players’ response to the Hockey India League,” he said. “The presence of these Germans – and more – is only a reflection of the air of excitement and anticipation that is building up around what promises to be the best assembly of players in any league in the world. We are sure that the hockey fraternity not only in India but elsewhere is in for a feast.”

The 27-year-old Fuerste, who has scored 70 goals from 199 matches for Germany, was also part of the German team that won the silver medal in the FIH World Cup in New Delhi in 2010 besides being a part of the team that won gold in the FIH Champions Trophy at Kuala Lumpur in 2007. He also has two other Champions Trophy silver medals from 2006 and 2009.

Korn, 28, has scored 26 goals for Germany in 130 matches, winning FIH Champions Trophy in Kuala Lumpur in 2007 and silver in the FIH World Cup in New Delhi 2010 and the FIH Champions Trophy in Melbourne in 2009.

The 26-year-old striker Deecke Oskar (125 caps) was part of Germany teams that won the silver medals in the FIH World Cup in New Delhi in 2010 and FIH Champions Trophy in Melbourne in 2009 while Jacobi Nicolas, 25, won the Most Valuable Player award in the Euro Hockey League in 2011 and 2012 besides being the Best Goalkeeper in the German Hockey Championship in 2008, 2009 and 2011.