The Borussia Dortmund women's handball team have recruited a new backcourt player: Dutch star Laura van der Heijden, 30, is joining BVB from top Hungarian club Siófok KC with immediate effect. The left-handed player has signed an initial contract which will keep her in Dortmund until the end of the current season.

Starting her career in her home country, van der Heijden won the domestic double of league championship and cup with VOC Amsterdam in 2010 before moving to the German Bundesliga, where the left-hander won the DHB Cup with VfL Oldenburg in 2012. The Netherlands international (203 appearances, 626 goals) then moved to Denmark to join Team Esbjerg, where she won the league title and the Supercup in 2016. After her spell in Scandinavia, van der Heijden spent a year at Hungarian club FTC Rail Cargo Hungaria. 

The backcourt player, who won the 2019 World Cup in Japan with the Netherlands, returned to Germany in 2018 to join SG BBM Bietigheim. Her first season at the club saw her lift the Bundesliga trophy in 2019. After a brief stint at Hungarian outfit Siófok, the world champion - who has participated in five World Cups, four European Championships and the 2016 Olympic games - has now signed for BVB.

"In Laura, we are getting a very experienced international player who will help us progress in all areas and will perfectly complement our squad", says the deputy head of department Andreas Bartels, going on to add: "If you have the chance to sign a player like this, it's hard not to go for it."

Laura van der Heijden is set to make her debut for the Black & Yellows in the Bundesliga match against  HSG Blomberg Lippe on 18 November.