Super Eagles star Terem Moffi joins Hamburg on permanent deal

Super Eagles striker Terem Moffi has joined Bundesliga club Hamburger SV on a permanent transfer from French side OGC Nice.

The 27-year-old Nigeria international has signed a three-year contract that will keep him at Hamburg until 2029 and will wear the No. 9 shirt. Moffi becomes Hamburg’s seventh signing of the summer as the club prepares for its return to the Bundesliga. 

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Hamburg will reportedly pay Nice €2 million in a fixed transfer fee, with a further €500,000 available in add-ons, taking the potential value of the deal to €2.5 million. The transfer brings an end to Moffi’s more than three-year spell in France. Nice signed him from Lorient in 2023 for more than €20 million, and he went on to score 24 goals in 72 appearances for the club.

Moffi spent the second half of last season on loan at FC Porto, where he scored twice in 15 appearances. He also featured in seven Europa League matches for Nice and Porto and scored against VfB Stuttgart during Porto’s 4-1 aggregate victory in the round of 16. The move to Germany represents a fresh start for Moffi following a difficult period at Nice.

He previously played in six countries, with Germany becoming the seventh country of his professional career. Across his clubs, he has scored 88 goals and provided 13 assists in 228 competitive appearances. Hamburg sporting director Claus Costa described Moffi as a striker whose physical strength, determination and style of play make him difficult for defenders to control.

The Nigerian is expected to operate primarily through the middle, with Hamburg looking to his strength, movement and ability to play with his back to goal to provide another dimension to their attack. His arrival follows the departure of Robert Glatzel, who left Hamburg for VfL Wolfsburg in June after five seasons with the club.

Hamburg had already strengthened their attack with the free transfer of Zambia international Patson Daka in July. Moffi will now provide coach Merlin Polzin with another centre-forward option. The club’s board member for sport, Kathleen Krüger, said Moffi would add depth and flexibility to the position while also bringing international experience that could benefit younger players.

Moffi’s first competitive opportunity with his new club could come quickly, with Hamburg scheduled to face Verl away in the first round of the DFB Cup before opening their Bundesliga campaign away to Borussia Dortmund. The transfer gives Moffi an opportunity to rebuild his club career in Germany after scoring 35 goals in 90 appearances for Lorient and making 72 appearances for Nice.