New contracts, new hope
Millions for HSV fuel the Bundesliga longing
06/14/2023, 12:12 p.m
Hamburger SV’s second division history is a bitter one. From the hoped-for direct promotion, at least six years will be in the 2nd Bundesliga. But investor Klaus-Michael Kühne is not giving up either, he is once again pumping millions into the club. And the contract negotiations are already underway.
If a player symbolizes the eternal struggle in the second division hamster wheel at Hamburger SV, it’s Jonas Meffert. The 28-year-old has already played seven relegation games for the Bundesliga – it’s a record. And a bitter one at that, because he never managed to get promoted to the top German football league. Not with Karlsruher SC, not with Holstein Kiel, twice not with HSV. And yet the defensive midfielder doesn’t give up – just like his club.
HSV doesn’t want to be a second division club, they prefer to play in the Bundesliga. For the sixth attempt, they once again get a lot of money from investor and AG shareholder Klaus-Michael Kühne. A further 30 million euros will flow into the association via its Kühne Holding AG. The money is a convertible loan with a term until 2028. This means that the AG will either pay it back on time or the money will be converted into further shares.
It is money for new players, contract extensions, but also for other projects that are determined by sports managers Jonas Boldt and Eric Huwer. One of those whose contract will be extended could be Meffert. His contract runs until next summer, as does captain Sebastian Schonlau – both could get new contracts, as could Sonny Kittel, whose contract expires this summer.
Reis ‘feels like the fans are fighting for me’
Ludovit Reis, on the other hand, is still publicly struggling with staying, because according to the “Hamburger Morgenpost” he could leave this summer thanks to an exit clause. “I can’t say whether I’ll stay at HSV or leave. It’s a very difficult decision and I can’t answer it at this point in time,” the 23-year-old midfielder told the newspaper. “I also feel how much the fans are fighting for me,” he said. “The fans really give it their all, that means a lot to me.” However, he was considered one of the best players of the season and apparently has offers from higher-class clubs.
The situation with goalkeeper Daniel Heuer Fernandes is similarly open. The 30-year-old, who has been voted Player of the Season by fans for the second straight season, has apparently attracted interest from Sporting Lisbon. His father is Portuguese, so he could switch to his home country – and at the same time appear in the Europa League.
So far it hasn’t failed because of the money
The club, on the other hand, has security with striker Robert Glatzel, who extended his contract until 2027 at the beginning of the week. “Although we unfortunately missed our big goal in the last two years, I had by far the happiest time in my career so far. I’ve never felt so comfortable at a club,” Glatzel was quoted as saying in a statement. In the season that just ended, he was the second-best goalscorer in the 2nd division, scoring 19 goals for HSV and providing the assists for a further seven goals.
It’s clear: HSV doesn’t want to settle in the 2nd league and doesn’t want to advance to the second league dinosaur. However, it is also part of the truth: In the pre-seasons, money did not fail, the club always occupied top positions with the budget. Still, the club finished fourth only three times before failing twice in a row in relegation.
Instead of losing to 1. FC Heidenheim and SV Darmstadt 98, the competition will be bigger in the coming season: FC Schalke 04 and Hertha BSC have been relegated – and, like HSV, definitely want to go back to the league excellence. However, Kühne trusts “that it will be possible to bring sporting success back to Hamburg”.