Borussia Dortmund have confirmed the departure of Sebastien Haller, with the striker sealing a permanent switch to Dutch club FC Utrecht.
The Ivory Coast international, 31, leaves Dortmund a year before the end of his contract, with reports indicating the deal was completed on a free transfer. Haller is no stranger to Utrecht, having spent the second half of last season there on loan and also representing the Eredivisie side between 2015 and 2017.
Speaking on his decision, Haller made it clear that Utrecht was always his top choice. “This summer there was quite a bit of interest from other clubs, but for me there was only one ideal scenario and that was FC Utrecht,” he said in a statement released on the club’s website.
The move brings an end to a difficult spell in Germany. Haller joined Dortmund in 2022 from Ajax in a €31 million deal, but weeks later was diagnosed with testicular cancer. He was sidelined for six months while undergoing treatment before making a comeback.
One of his lowest moments came on the final day of the 2022/23 Bundesliga campaign, when he missed a penalty in a 2-2 draw with Mainz, a result that allowed Bayern Munich to snatch the league title.
Despite his struggles at club level, Haller shone on the international stage, famously scoring the decisive goal for Ivory Coast in the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations final against Nigeria.
With his return to Utrecht, Haller is aiming for a fresh start at a club where his career first flourished in Europe.
