Asian adventure: former BVB star Sébastien Haller heads to Japan | OneFootball

Things have been rather quiet around Sébastien Haller lately. The 32-year-old former Borussia Dortmund striker had been without a club after his contract with FC Utrecht expired. Now, the Ivorian has found a new team.

At the peak of his career, Haller scored almost at will. Between 2014 and 2017, during his first spell in Utrecht, he found the net 51 times in 98 matches. After his move to Eintracht Frankfurt, he also impressed as part of the so-called “Buffalo Herd.” A short and rather unsuccessful spell at West Ham United ended with a transfer to Ajax Amsterdam.

At the Dutch record champions, the athletic 1.90-meter forward rediscovered his eye for goal. In one and a half years, Haller produced an incredible 47 goals and 16 assists in 66 appearances. In 2021, he won the domestic double with Ajax, followed by another league title the next year.

In 2022, Dortmund signed the towering striker for 31 million euros. But before Haller could make a single appearance for the Black and Yellows, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. The Ivorian was sidelined for half a year, but then made an impressive comeback. In the second half of the season, he recorded nine goals and five assists in 19 Bundesliga matches.

A bright spot at the Africa Cup

What no one could have known at the time: it would be the last successful spell of Haller’s career. Whether later at Dortmund, on loan in Spain with CD Leganés, or afterwards in Utrecht, the Ivorian hardly scored anymore. The only real success during this period was winning the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations, to which the striker made a decisive contribution with two goals in the semifinal and final.

Photo: Getty Images

Last season in Utrecht was symptomatic of Haller’s recent struggles. Hampered at times by a muscle injury, the 32-year-old made 33 appearances. His sobering record: just one goal and four assists. Although the “Domstedelingen” finished sixth in the Eredivisie and only narrowly missed out on qualifying for the Europa Conference League a few weeks ago, the end of the road had come for the former Dortmund man in the university city.

Haller is not hanging up his boots anytime soon, though. According to transfer journalist Rudy Galetti on X, the former BVB striker is moving to a league outside Europe for the first time in his career. The Ivorian has reportedly signed a one-year contract with J.League side Sanfrecce Hiroshima, with an option for a further year.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.