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Ivory Coast centre forward, Sébastien Haller, has secured a permanent move to Dutch Eredivisie side FC Utrecht, following the mutual termination of his contract at German club, Borussia Dortmund.
Haller, who mustered 33 Bundesliga appearances and 9 goals for Dortmund, agreed to terminate his contract, which was originally set to run through to 2026, with €5 million received as severance from the club.
The 31-year-old, who left Die Schwarzgelben on loan to La Liga side CD Leganés during the 2024/25 season, makes the switch to Utrecht having slipped down the pecking order due to injury setbacks, a loss of form, and ultimately, a battle with cancer which required medical intervention.
Sequel to the completion of the transfer on Monday, Dortmund Sporting Director, Sebastian Kehl, said, “Sébastien has written a special story here. He fought his cancer with impressive strength.
“Now he’s returning to Utrecht, to a club that means a lot to him and for which he has played regularly in recent months. We wish Sebastien all the best for the future and, above all, good health.”
Haller had been on loan at Utrecht since the start of the year and previously played for the Dutch side earlier in his career between 2015 and 2017.
Speaking on the transfer, he expressed delight at his return to the club who are aiming to qualify for the UEFA Europa League as they prepare to face Bosnian side Zrinjski Mostar in the play-off round.
“There was considerable interest from other clubs this summer,” said Haller, who joked that he’s 91 per cent fit, hinting at his kit number from last season.
“However, for me, there was only one ideal scenario, and that was FC Utrecht. We have built something remarkable over the past year, and I would like to continue to be a part of it.
“When you consider our achievements in Europe, it has been exceptional. Excellent matches, significant results. The only thought is: I would like to be part of that, to assist the team. And now, that has been achieved.”
