Second division professional Derrick Köhn from Hannover 96 is facing a million-dollar transfer to top Turkish club Galatasaray Istanbul one day before the top game at Hamburger SV. The 25-year-old left-back landed in Istanbul for the medical check and to sign the contract.
According to consistent media reports, both clubs had agreed on a transfer fee the evening before, which, including bonus payments, could rise to around four million euros if Galatasaray has sporting successes. At the same time, the 96ers secured ten percent of the resale value through a clause should Köhn bring in a transfer fee for the 23-time Turkish champions in the next few years.
The Hamburg native played in the youth department of HSV and in the second team of FC Bayern Munich before coming to Hanover in 2022 via the Dutch club Willem II Tilburg. The 96ers are now in the middle of the promotion race in the 2nd Bundesliga without a left-back because Köhn’s representative Brooklyn Ezeh has not trained with the professional team since November.
Galatasaray, on the other hand, were urgently looking for a full-back because Frenchman Sacha Boey moved to FC Bayern Munich in January and ex-Leipzig player Angelino moved to AS Roma. In Turkey the transfer deadline only ends on Friday.