Philipp Hofmann

Schalke 04

A forward, Hofmann began his career as a youth with local clubs RW Wenholthausen and SC Neheim, before signing for Bundesliga side Schalke 04 in 2009. He won the Westfalenpokalsieger with the U19 team in the 2010–11 season and the U19 Bundesliga the following year. He made 24 appearances for the reserve team in the 2011–12 season, scoring six goals. Hofmann won his first and only first team call up for a dead rubber Europa League match versus Maccabi Haifa on 14 December 2011 and remained an unused substitute during the 3–0 victory. He spent the 2012–13 and 2013–14 seasons away on loan and departed on 5 June 2014.

SC Paderborn 07 (loan)

Hofmann spent the 2012–13 season on loan with 2. Bundesliga side SC Paderborn 07 and made the first professional appearance of his career in a 4–0 victory over VfL Bochum on 11 August 2012, as a late substitute for Diego Demme. He made 32 appearances and scored seven goals in a forgettable mid-table season.

FC Ingolstadt 04 (loan)

On 14 July 2013, Hofmann joined 2. Bundesliga club FC Ingolstadt 04 on a two-year loan. He made 33 appearances and scored 9 goals during the 2013–14 season and notably scored two hattricks in three Regionalliga Bayern appearances for the reserves. He ended his loan after the season.

1. FC Kaiserslautern

Hofmann signed for 2. Bundesliga club 1. FC Kaiserslautern on 5 June 2014. He began the 2014–15 season in a substitute role and scored on his debut in a 3–2 win over TSV 1860 München on 4 August 2014, netting the winner just a minute after replacing the scorer of the Red Devils' opening two goals, Srđan Lakić. Hofmann won unfortunate media attention for missing a certain goalscoring opportunity from one yard versus 1. FC Union Berlin on 24 September, but was spared his blushes after Union failed to cancel out Alexander Ring's first half goal. Hofmann failed to come into regular goalscoring form and finished the 2014–15 season with 33 appearances and eight goals as the Red Devils finished just two points shy of the promotion playoff place. He departed the Fritz-Walter-Stadion in July 2015.

Brentford

On 23 July 2015, Hofmann moved to England to sign a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee with Championship side Brentford. He made his debut on the opening day of the 2015–16 season versus Ipswich Town, playing the full 90 minutes of a 2–2 draw. He scored his first goal for the club the following week, capping a 4–2 win over Bristol City. Hofmann was put out of action with an abdominal muscle injury in mid-September and fell behind Marco Djuricin and Lasse Vibe in the pecking order, reverting to a substitute role upon his return to fitness. He scored his second goal of the season by rounding goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez in injury time to seal a 2–0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers on 21 October. Further goals against Nottingham Forest and Birmingham City saw Hofmann make his first start in over four months in the FA Cup third round versus Walsall on 9 January 2016. After reverting to the bench, he was ruled out with a back injury in early March and did not appear again before the end of the season. Hofmann scored four goals in 22 appearances during the 2015–16 season and returned fully fit for pre-season in July 2016.

With manager Dean Smith preferring to play one forward, Hofmann began the 2016–17 season overweight and behind Scott Hogan and Lasse Vibe in the pecking order. After slimming down and making just five substitute appearances by early December, Smith challenged him to work harder to earn a starting place. Despite the departure of Scott Hogan in January 2017, a niggling back injury and a lack of match fitness rendered Hofmann unable to challenge for a starting berth during the second half of the season. He fell behind B team forward Justin Shaibu in the pecking order and finished the season with 11 appearances and no goals. Hofmann departed the club in June 2017, having scored just four goals in 33 appearances during his two seasons at Griffin Park.

Greuther Fürth

On 13 June 2017, Hofmann returned to Germany to join 2. Bundesliga club Greuther Fürth on a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee. After recovering from a medial collateral ligament injury suffered during pre-season, he made his debut for the club in a DFB-Pokal first round match versus SV Morlautern on 13 August 2017 and scored two goals in the 5–0 victory.

International career

Hofmann represented Germany between U18 and U21 level. He made his international debut for the U18 team in a 3–2 friendly win over France on 22 March 2011, replacing goalscorer Amin Younes in the second half. He made two further U18 appearances before making his U19 debut with a start in a 5–3 friendly win over Belgium on 1 September 2011, being replaced by Niclas Füllkrug at half time. He scored his first international goal in another friendly three days later, bagging what looked to be the winner versus rivals the Netherlands, before Ouasim Bouy salvaged a 2–2 draw. Hofmann scored six goals in six games during Germany's unsuccessful qualification period for the 2012 European U19 Championship.

Hofmann scored three goals in six friendly appearances for the U20 team during the 2012–13 season and made his U21 debut in a 4–0 2015 European U21 Championship qualifying win over the Republic of Ireland on 9 September 2013. He showed excellent form during the qualifying period, scoring seven goals in 10 games, but he failed to score in his two finals appearances before Germany were humiliated 5–0 by Portugal in the semi-finals. He scored 9 goals in 17 matches at U21 level.

Career statistics