6 short assignments in 2 years
©IMAGO
FC St. Pauli has loaned a second player from its squad abroad. Erik Ahlstrand (24), who was hardly able to get any playing time in the professional team in two years with Hamburg, is moving to the Dutch first division club Heracles Almelo. As both clubs confirmed, there is a purchase option after the season. Also on the FCSP loan list is winger Scott Banks (24), who moved to Blackpool in the third English league in the summer. Here you can find all the players of the Bundesliga clubs who have been hired and loaned out.
“Erik approached us with the wish to gain more match practice at another club. This is possible at a high level in the Eredivisie. In the interests of his sporting development, we have therefore fulfilled his wish and wish him every success at Heracles Almelo,” explained St. Paulis sports director Andreas Bornemann in a club statement.
Ahlstrand has hardly played a role since moving to the Kiezklub at the beginning of 2024. The club from the Hamburg center brought in the midfielder from Halmstads BK from Sweden for 650,000 euros. Since then, Ahlstrand has made short appearances in six competitive games for the professionals, five of which came in the last Bundesliga season. Hardly more than 40 professional minutes were totaled. The former national player also played 23 times for the second team in the Regionalliga Nord.
Ahlstrand: Almelo “has been interested in me for a long time”
“We see him as an option for all positions in midfield and in attack,” said Heracles Almelo director Ernest Faber. “As a versatile player, he expands our offensive options. Erik is characterized by creativity, speed and intensity and also shows great commitment. He is ambitious and wants to prove himself at Heracles Almelo, which is very important to us.”
Ahlstrand said of the move: “Heracles Almelo had been interested in me for a long time, so I was able to familiarize myself with the club. I am impressed with both the club structure and the player development program. Additionally, the Eredivisie is an interesting league with an open, attacking style of play. No wonder Swedish players like to come here.” With Ahlstrand, the number of Swedes in the Dutch upper house increases to 10.