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U.S. international John Brooks agrees new Hertha Berlin deal until 2019

U.S. international defender John Brooks has agreed a new deal with Hertha Berlin that will keep him at the club until 2019.

Brooks, a product of the Bundesliga club's youth academy, has played 46 times since first making his debut in August 2013.

Speculation has surrounded the 23-year-old's contract for months, but Hertha CEO Michael Preetz tweeted after Saturday's 3-3 draw with Werder Bremen: "We agree. This match was incredible. We also agree with John Brooks. He'll stay in Berlin."

The club then confirmed on their official Twitter account that the deal was in place, writing: "Now, that's a hammer! John Brooks stays until 2019. Paperwork to be done in the next few days!"

Brooks -- who holds both German and American citizenship -- said on the club's Twitter account: "Everyone knows that Hertha are my club, and Berlin is my home.

"I am delighted to continue being part of the great development of Hertha BSC in my hometown.

"Together we want to achieve great things, not only this season. We are the capital club -- something unique is in the making here."

United States coach Jurgen Klinsmann said he was glad Brooks could now focus solely on his football.

"That has been in the planning for a couple of months. They went back and forth," Klinsmann said in California. "John I think he switched agents at a certain point in time. I was talking to their GM. They were eager to sign him, and I think it's important that he commits to his next couple of years.

"Because he's still developing, and he's obviously age eligible for the [U.S.] Olympic team. So this is important because no this is off the table, and how [he can] focus on a strong second half of the Bundesliga season there.

"It's nice to see that he finally got that done because he was carrying it within himself already for half a year, they were going back and forth. I don't know why it took him so long."

Information from ESPN FC's Jeff Carlisle was used in this report.