Ginter won over by Gladbach persistence

Matthias Ginter's decision to join Borussia Monchengladbach came "from the heart" after the Germany defender was won over by the club's continued pursuit of his services.

The 23-year-old completed his switch from Bundesliga rivals Borussia Dortmund for a reported €20million on Tuesday, having been courted by the club before.

And the sustained interest shown in him was pivotal to the move, which comes hot on the heels of Ginter's success with his country at the Confederations Cup in Russia.

"It was the third time Borussia had tried to sign me and the second time [coach] Dieter Hecking showed interest in me," Ginter told the club's official website. "This support and faith blew me away and speaks for itself.

"When a sporting director [Max Eberl] and a coach are so persistent in trying to sign you, it's special. Therefore, signing for Borussia Monchengladbach was a decision from the heart.

“A decision from the heart”
@MatzeGinter talks about choosing #Borussia, the #ConfedCup and the season ahead: https://t.co/9w5B79H8Wm pic.twitter.com/ePyOzXHlfy

— Gladbach (@borussia_en) 4 de julho de 2017

"There's an unbelievable amount of talent in the group and to come to Monchengladbach to be leader and key player was one of the decisive factors.

"The exceptional fans also came into it. Every time I've played at Borussia-Park the atmosphere has been sensational. With the 2018 World Cup in mind, Joachim Low, as well as the people close to me, advised me on the move.

"In the end, everything pointed towards Borussia Monchengladbach, so I'm very happy to be here now."

Germany defeated Chile in the Confederations Cup final and, while Ginter conceded to being somewhat underwhelmed by the low-key nature of the tournament, he was content to get his hands on further international silverware, having been an unused member of the 2014 World Cup-winning squad.

"My confidence has of course grown by winning it," he said. "In the opening rounds, you couldn't really feel the significance of the tournament; we played in front of half-empty stadiums and the atmosphere wasn't especially good.

"From the semi-final onwards, however, we wanted to win the trophy at all costs and in the final we beat Chile – one of the favourites for the World Cup.

"Playing international games is certainly not something you do every day, and titles obviously give you confidence."