7 HSV players only on loan: Who has a future at Volkspark? | OneFootball

HSV may face another upheaval next summer. A group of players is particularly in focus.

In both transfer periods this season, the Rothosen placed a great emphasis on loan players. Sporting director Claus Costa brought in a total of seven temporary new signings — sometimes with, sometimes without a purchase option.

When evaluating these loans in terms of sports performance, the differences are striking. While some deals turned out to be absolute hits, others have fallen significantly short of the sometimes high expectations.

The all-important question is: Which professionals will play at the Volkspark next season — and who will return to their parent club? An assessment.

Luka Vuskovic (Tottenham Hotspur)

No other HSV player has been written about as much in recent months. Without any acclimatization period, Luka Vuskovic has become the undisputed defensive boss of the Hanseatics. The Croatian dominates at both ends of the field, directs his teammates, and is possibly playing the strongest season of any U20 defender the Bundesliga has ever seen.

This is both a curse and a blessing. Vuskovic's performances have caught the attention of nearly all top European clubs. FC Barcelona, in particular, is considered to be strongly interested. It seems the 18-year-old has even outgrown his employer, Tottenham Hotspur, who are struggling in the Premier League relegation battle.

The most likely scenario currently is: The exceptional talent returns to the Spurs in the summer and is then transferred to a world club for a substantial fee. HSV's hope for another year with Vuskovic alongside his currently doping-suspended brother Mario is likely to be dashed soon. The bittersweet truth is: The teenager is simply too good!

Fabio Vieira (FC Arsenal)

The same should actually apply to Fabio Vieira. The fact that the technically gifted Portuguese ended up at a Bundesliga newcomer is already a glitch in the football matrix. Furthermore, the purchase option of 20 million euros embedded in the deal is something HSV will not be able to pay.

But perhaps they won't have to. Because: Both personally and athletically, Vieira is settling in better and better in Hamburg. The 25-year-old and his family feel very comfortable in northern Germany and can imagine staying long-term. As Bild recently reported, the playmaker has already agreed on a follow-up contract with HSV starting in the summer.

Photo: Getty Images

The order of the day is to reach an agreement with FC Arsenal. If the Gunners can be negotiated down to a transfer fee in the high single-digit million range, including possible bonuses, the chances of further Vieira years in blue, white, and black look very promising. A bargaining chip in the talks: The left-footer is only under contract in London until 2027 and under no circumstances wants to return there!

Giorgi Gocholeishvilli (Shakthar Donetsk)

After a strong start to the season, Giorgi Gocholeishvili's form has noticeably declined in recent weeks and months. With only one starting eleven appearance in the last eleven games, it is clear: Behind William Mikelbrencis and Bakery Jatta, he is currently only the third choice for the right wing position.

Passion and commitment are almost always there, but the Georgian has recently been unable to convince athletically. Especially against Bayer 04 Leverkusen (0:1), he looked insecure and at times overwhelmed. Therefore, HSV is unlikely to exercise the purchase option of four million euros. All signs currently point to Gocholeishvili returning to Donetsk in the summer.

Damion Downs (FC Southampton)

Damion Downs came from FC Southampton in the winter to solve HSV's severe striker problem. But an initial interim balance reads sobering: After eight appearances, the American is still waiting for his first goal involvement.

Many fans view the 21-year-old very critically and speak of one of the biggest transfer flops in recent years. Head coach Merlin Polzin, however, repeatedly praises his value in the game against the ball.

The purchase option of around ten million euros will not be activated by the promoted team under any circumstances. A deal would only be conceivable with a significantly reduced transfer fee. However, the most likely scenario is that the Downs chapter at HSV will come to a quick end after just a few months.

Albert Grønbaek (Stade Rennes)

Among all the loans, Albert Grønbaek's is the biggest misunderstanding so far. The reason is simple: He is still waiting for his first appearance!

Arriving in Hamburg injured, he suffered another fascia injury in his thigh, which sidelined him for three weeks. Only since a week ago has the 24-year-old been fully participating in team training again. After not being nominated for the squad against Cologne, he might make his debut against Borussia Dortmund next weekend.

Photo: IMAGO

In the midst of the relegation battle, Grønbaek will not immediately take on a leading role. His last competitive match was on December 14 for FC Bologna. Only outstanding performances in his upcoming appearances could justify activating the purchase option of five million euros.

Philip Otele (FC Basel)

In contrast to Grønbaek, Philip Otele arrived at the Volkspark immediately. Just a few days after his transfer, he was already in the starting eleven against Heidenheim (2:0) and provided an assist. But that's where his output has remained since then.

The 26-year-old was in the starting eleven for five out of seven possible matches but couldn't confirm the strong first impression. Against Cologne, Polzin even completely refrained from fielding a classic winger like Otele.

In the case of the Nigerian, the situation is as open as with no other loan: If he leaves a strong impression in the remaining eight Bundesliga games, a permanent transfer seems quite realistic. If the current trend continues, however, he is likely to return to FC Basel in Switzerland. His purchase option is 4.5 million euros.

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Warmed Omari (Stade Rennes)

With Warmed Omari, the situation is clear! At the beginning of February, HSV announced that they had exercised the purchase option and tied the 25-year-old to the club long-term. The Hanseatics are transferring 2.2 million euros to Ligue 1 club Stade Rennes. The central defender will therefore continue to be part of the team next season.

However, after a strong start to the season, Omari was sidelined by a severe lateral ligament tear in September. Since his return, he has not yet been able to match the strong performances from the start of the season. Nevertheless, his performances so far already justify the relatively low transfer fee.

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