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Union Berlin Signs David Datro Fofana on Loan from Chelsea for Next Season 

Molde's then player David Datro Fofana celebrates during the Europa League match between Molde and 1899 Hoffenheim in Villarreal, Spain, Feb. 18, 2021. (AP)
Molde's then player David Datro Fofana celebrates during the Europa League match between Molde and 1899 Hoffenheim in Villarreal, Spain, Feb. 18, 2021. (AP)
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Union Berlin Signs David Datro Fofana on Loan from Chelsea for Next Season 

Molde's then player David Datro Fofana celebrates during the Europa League match between Molde and 1899 Hoffenheim in Villarreal, Spain, Feb. 18, 2021. (AP)
Molde's then player David Datro Fofana celebrates during the Europa League match between Molde and 1899 Hoffenheim in Villarreal, Spain, Feb. 18, 2021. (AP)

Union Berlin bolstered its Champions League preparations on Tuesday by signing Ivorian forward David Datro Fofana from Chelsea on loan for next season.

The 20-year-old Fofana rarely played for Chelsea after the English Premier League club signed him for a reported fee of around 12 million euros ($13.1 million) from Norwegian team Molde FK in January. He made only three short league appearances for Chelsea.

Union hopes to give him more chances to shine in the Bundesliga.

“David’s speed and his flexible offensive qualities are highly interesting for us,” Union sporting director Oliver Ruhnert said. “We want another goal-scoring player who will give our attacking game additional impetus.”

Fofana is Ruhnert’s second signing in three days from English clubs following United States midfielder Brenden Aaronson’s arrival on loan from Leeds on Sunday.

Union, which was promoted to the Bundesliga for the first time only in 2019, finished fourth in the league last season to clinch Champions League qualification for the first time. It will play its European games at Olympiastadion, a venue traditionally used by city rival Hertha Berlin. Hertha was relegated from the Bundesliga last season.

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No. 1 Iga Swiatek Parts Ways with Coach after 3 Trophy-laden Years Together

FILE - Poland's Iga Swiatek and her coach Tomasz Wiktorowski hold the trophy after Swiatek won the women's final of the French Open tennis tournament against Italy's Jasmine Paolini at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, France, Saturday, June 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File)
FILE - Poland's Iga Swiatek and her coach Tomasz Wiktorowski hold the trophy after Swiatek won the women's final of the French Open tennis tournament against Italy's Jasmine Paolini at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, France, Saturday, June 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File)
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No. 1 Iga Swiatek Parts Ways with Coach after 3 Trophy-laden Years Together

FILE - Poland's Iga Swiatek and her coach Tomasz Wiktorowski hold the trophy after Swiatek won the women's final of the French Open tennis tournament against Italy's Jasmine Paolini at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, France, Saturday, June 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File)
FILE - Poland's Iga Swiatek and her coach Tomasz Wiktorowski hold the trophy after Swiatek won the women's final of the French Open tennis tournament against Italy's Jasmine Paolini at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, France, Saturday, June 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File)

Top-ranked Iga Swiatek is separating from her coach Tomasz Wiktorowski.
The Polish tennis player announced the split Friday, saying the decision was taken together.
During the three years Swiatek worked with Wiktorowski, the Polish player won four of her five Grand Slam titles and rose to the top of the women’s rankings.
“After 3 years of the greatest achievements in my career, together with my coach Tomasz Wiktorowski we decided to part way,” Swiatek wrote in a post on Instagram. “I want to start with a big thank you and appreciating our work together.”
Swiatek appointed Wiktorowski as coach at the end of the 2021 season. He helped her capture 19 of her 22 career titles and an Olympic bronze medal in Paris in August.
“Coach Wiktorowski joined my team for three seasons, when I strongly needed changes and a fresh approach to my game,” Swiatek continued. “His experience, analytical and strategic attitude and enormous knowledge about tennis helped us to achieve things I’ve never dreamed of only a few months after we started working together.
“Our main goal was to become No. 1 player in the world and coach Wiktorowski was the one who said it first," The Associated Press quoted her as saying.
Swiatek hasn’t competed since losing to Jessica Pegula in the quarterfinals of the US Open.
She withdrew from this week’s China Open in Beijing — where she would have been defending champion — citing personal reasons. The 23-year-old Swiatek also pulled out of the recent Korea Open in Seoul, citing fatigue.
“Due to this important change on my team, I give myself a couple of weeks to start a cooperation with a new coach,” Swiatek wrote. “I’m in the middle of first talks with coaches from abroad (non-Polish) because I’m ready to take the next step of my career. I will let you know when I make a decision.”
Wiktorowski was voted the WTA’s Coach of the Year by his peers last year.
“Coach, THANK YOU, I wish you all the best,” Swiatek wrote. “I know that you would like to rest after these 3 years of hard work and traveling a lot and spending some well-deserved time with your loved ones and I hope you’ll get what you need.”