Could Otele stay at HSV? Basel loanee speaks out | OneFootball

With Philip Otele, HSV signed a player in the winter who stands out not only athletically, but also biographically.

The attacking player joined Hamburg on loan from FC Basel and has had an unusual career with stops in Lithuania, Romania, and the United Arab Emirates. In Switzerland, he established himself for the first time in a European league of a higher standard. Especially in the current first half of the season, he impressed with five goals and four assists.

HSV therefore introduced Otele as a player with a certain "X-factor." However, the 26-year-old himself modestly downplays this label. "I don't think I have something that no one else has," he says in the Mopo interview. His goal, rather, is to be unpredictable on the pitch: "I don't want to do normal things, but take risks, entertain the fans, and decide games – but also help defensively."

His style of play is also explained by his role models. Otele names several superstars: "My favorite player is Neymar, but I can learn something from everyone. I love these creative players." It is precisely this creativity that is expected to give HSV additional offensive variability.

Photo: Getty Images

HSV: Otele raves about teammate

Despite the competition, for example with winger Jean-Luc Dompé, Otele is impressed by the level within the team. "I already saw in my first training session how much quality he has. He is a top player," he says about the Frenchman, and hopes to share the pitch with him more often in the future.

His personal start in Hamburg has been very promising. In his first four appearances, Otele was immediately in the starting eleven. Especially the first home game at the Volksparkstadion was "definitely a dream." "But the best," says the left winger, "is yet to come."

Nur die Raute – All the news about HSV

The decisive factor will be the period after the end of the season. HSV has a purchase option and Otele is clearly interested in staying. "I hope that the journey will continue positively in the summer," the Nigerian makes clear. He can "very well imagine" a longer stay.

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