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The Philadelphia Union will be without the services of the club's first ever Homegrown Player, Zach Pfeffer, for the entire 2013 season. But there's a good reason for it.
Officially, Pfeffer's tenure at Hoffenheim will begin January 7, as the Bundesliga takes a winter break during the coldest parts of the season. He'll remain abroad through the summer and return to the Union on December 31, 2013.
Pfeffer will spend the year with TSG Hoffenheim of Germany's Bundesliga, one of the top soccer leagues in the world.
For the rest of the story on the 17-year-old Pfeffer's loan, head over to Philly.com.