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Virtually all German footballing media sources confirm that Danish international Albert Grønbaek arrived in Hamburg on Thursday evening in order to complete a medical ahead of a move to Hamburger SV. The Bundesliga outfit had long been seeking additional attacking assistance on the left flank.
Grønbaek will fill the void left by a recent injury incurred by his fellow Scandinavian Alexander Røssing-Lelesiit. In a development unrelated to Grønbaek’s arrival, left winger Jean-Luc Dompé was also suspended indefinitely by the club for disciplinary reasons on Thursday.
What are the details of the Grønbaek deal?
The Stade Rennes professional is headed out on loan for the third consecutive time. Grønbaek’s Ligue 1 parent club has already loaned him out to Southampton (last spring) and Genoa CFC (this past autumn). Unfortunately, Grønbaek has found himself unable to accrue much playing time at either locale.
Grønbaek has hardly fulfilled expectations at the club that once shelled out €15m to acquire him from Bødo/Glimt. The 24-year-old nevertheless remains an eight-times-capped Danish international with an estimated market value of €8m. At present, there’s no news on a potential HSV purchase option.
Grønbaek is set to be reunited with Danish compatriot and HSV captain Yussuf Poulsen, with whom he twice played alongside on the Danish national team. Unfortunately, recurrent injury problems will continue to sideline Poulsen through March, meaning the two won’t be sharing pitch-time in the near future.
What’s new on the Hamburg departure front?
Hamburg continue to shed players considered “excess weight” on their squad entering the current January transfer window. Following the departures of midfielders Jonas Meffert (Kiel) and Anssi Suhonen (Odense BK), right back Silvan Hefti became the third HSV January departure earlier today.
Hefti moved to DC United of America’s MLS for a reported €150,000 transfer fee. Suhonen, Hefti, and Meffert have netted HSV an estimated €420,000 in transfer fees. Of the trio, only Meffert (four appearances) actually appeared in the Bundesliga for the Hanseaten this season.
Some reports suggest that Hamburg may be preparing to part company with a more significant player, French wide man William Mikelbrencis. L’Equipé reports that Greece’s PAOK FC have enquired about the 21-year-old.
Mikelbrencis has made 12 Bundesliga appearances (six starts) this year and maintains an estimated market value of €2m. The presence of Giorgi Gocholeishvili still renders him expendable.
One HSV departure almost certain to be confirmed on Friday is that of attacker Emir Sahiti. The Hamburger Abendblatt newspaper reports that the Kosovo international (two starts this season) is in Israel ahead of a loan move to Maccabi Tel Aviv.
