Borussia Dortmund have confirmed that striker Sébastien Haller has joined Dutch side FC Utrecht on a permanent transfer.
The 31-year-old Ivory Coast international reportedly signed on a free deal after being allowed to terminate his Dortmund contract a year early. He spent the second half of last season on loan at Utrecht, where he previously played between 2015 and 2017.
“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,” Haller said in a statement on the Dutch club’s website.
Haller’s time at Dortmund was marked by highs and setbacks. Signed from Ajax in 2022 for €31 million ($36 million), he was diagnosed with testicular cancer shortly after his arrival and spent six months undergoing treatment.
In May 2023, he missed a crucial penalty in Dortmund’s 2-2 draw with Mainz on the final day of the season, a result that handed the Bundesliga title to Bayern Munich.
Despite those challenges, Haller played a pivotal role for his country, scoring the winning goal for Ivory Coast in the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations final against Nigeria.
His permanent return to Utrecht marks the latest chapter in a career that has also seen him feature for West Ham and Eintracht Frankfurt.
