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·25 July 2026

Get German Football News

·25 July 2026

Hamburg’s new attacking signing Patson Daka gave the Bundesliga a lively welcome on Friday. After arriving at HSV’s training camp in Austria, the new striker spoke about why he chose to join the Bundesliga club and about his resolve to move on from the difficult spell that had slowed his career at Leicester City.

The 27-year-old moved to HSV on a free transfer after Leicester were relegated to the English third tier. Daka, for whom the former Premier League side paid around €30m five years ago, has initially signed a one-year deal with an option for an extension. The Zambian international is expected to make his unofficial debut in Saturday’s friendly against 1. FC Heidenheim.

Daka’s fellow new Hamburg arrival — Moroccan U23 international Bilal Nadir — also had his free transfer confirmed on Friday. Like Daka, Nadir is also keen to leave a recent rough patch behind him. Last October, while playing for Olympique Marseille, Nadir made unwanted headlines when he collapsed on the pitch during a Ligue 1 match against Angers.

In their second season back in the Bundesliga, Hamburg are quickly turning into the club of “second chances”; that is a fitting description in the year when Mario Vuskovic is once again available to play after serving a long suspension. Daka led the new arrivals with optimism at his introductory press event.

The striker began researching HSV soon after the club made contact. Daka also spoke to former Salzburg team-mates Hee-Chan Hwang — whom many will remember from his RB Leipzig days — and Masaya Okugawa, who mostly played for Arminia Bielefeld, both of whom had previously played in Hamburg.

“I always smile,” Daka said at his unveiling. “I’m always happy. That is just my personality. I love being here. The people are nice and the club fits perfectly. I’m happy and excited. I spoke with Hee-Chan and Masaya. They told me a lot about the club and the city. That made the decision easy for me.”

Daka admitted that he went through difficult years in England, but maintained that uncertainty about his future never really troubled him. In the striker’s own words, his past is now effectively irrelevant.

“I’m never afraid of the future,” Daka said. “I trust God, and my present is the future because tomorrow is not guaranteed. What I do today decides what will happen to me tomorrow. When I go through a difficult moment, I do something about it.”

Daka agreed to an initial one-year contract, though the deal allows him to earn an extension through his performances.

“My wish is to stay here for as long as possible,” the striker said. “Everything is possible. I want to help the team quickly.”

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