BERLIN — Hertha Berlin signed Dutch defender Karim Rekik from French side Marseille on Friday.

The Bundesliga club says the 22-year-old centre back has signed a "long-term" contract.

Hertha hopes Rekik will fill the gap left by John Anthony Brooks' departure for Wolfsburg in what was a record transfer for an American player. The reported fee was 20 million euros ($22.4 million).

Kicker magazine reports Hertha is paying 2.2 million euros ($2.5 million) for Rekik, the club's third signing of the off-season after forwards Davie Selke and Mathew Leckie.

Rekik, who joined Manchester City from Feyenoord at 17, had loan spells at Portsmouth and Blackburn Rovers before making his breakthrough at PSV Eindhoven, finishing third in his first season and winning the Dutch title the next. He joined Marseille in 2015.