A stronghold of German football, winner of the Champions League in 1983, Hamburg was relegated to the second division for the first time in its history at the end of the 2017-2018 season, before returning to the elite this season. Currently 13th in the Bundesliga, HSV is doing everything possible to guarantee its survival and has just completed a particularly turbulent month of January, between transfers, internal tensions, slip-ups, and the dismissal of Stefan Kuntz, the football director, following accusations of sexual harassment. A look back in detail at this totally crazy month.
Departure from Kuntz
January 2: Strong man of the club since his arrival in May 2024, former coach of the German U21 selection and time on the bench of the Turkish selection, Stefan Kuntz seemed to bring serenity to HSV. And unfortunately, the Bundesliga club unexpectedly announced the departure of its sporting director. The official HSV press release then mentions family reasons.
Peretz is acting up
January 3: The very day after Kuntz’s departure, we learned that Israeli international Daniel Peretz (25) refused to train with the team. The reason: the goalkeeper, on loan from Bayern Munich, ardently wishes to join Southampton.
First wave of transfers
January 3: Jonas Meffert (31), key player in the second division for many years, returns to Holstein Kiel. The transfer was concluded with Hamburg for a fee of €200,000.
January 5: HSV sells the talented Raif Adam (20) to SV Elversberg. The transfer amount is €400,000 plus bonuses. Thanks to a buyout option of 2 million euros, HSV retains the right to recover the player.
January 7: HSV recruits Damion Downs (21) from Southampton FC. This is a loan with a purchase option of ten million euros.
January 8: Peretz wins his case and is allowed to join Southampton, in exchange for Downs.
16th day
January 10: HSV lost 1-2 to SC Friborg in its first match of the year.
The shock
January 11: an article from Bild reveals that sports director Kuntz had to leave HSV following accusations of sexual harassment against female employees. “One of the women was even forced to perform fellatio under the pressure of Kuntz’s comments”writing Bild. Kuntz categorically denies the accusations.
January 12: The HSV supervisory board confirms the suspicions. “After a thorough examination and the establishment of the credibility of the allegations, the supervisory board immediately decided to proceed with the separation of the member concerned as quickly as possible”indicates the corresponding press release.
Match postponed
January 13: the first home match of the year is canceled due to snowfall: the match against Bayer Leverkusen is postponed to March 4.
Important names mentioned
January 14: although Kuntz’s responsibilities were initially distributed among the other members of the sports management, the names of renowned managers are circulating within HSV to take over from him. Among them: Hasan Salihamidzic, Sebastian Kehl and Oliver Bierhoff.
18th day
January 17: against Borussia Mönchengladbach, HSV put in a good performance at home, resulting in a 0-0 draw, but was once again too ineffective in front of goal.
Hamburg
0
M’gladbach
0
Second wave of transfers
January 17: Midfielder Anssi Suhonen (25) leaves HSV after nine years to join Odense BK.
January 22: Sander Tangvik (23) arrives from Rosenborg Trondheim to become the new backup goalkeeper, replacing Peretz. A transfer estimated between 2.5 and 4 million euros underlines the Norwegian’s ambition to become number one.
19th day
January 23: public holiday in town, but the Hamburg derby turned out to be dull: in an uninteresting match, HSV drew against St. Pauli (0-0).
Personal attacks against Kuntz continue
January 23: according to the South German Zeitungthe two parties agreed on severance pay equivalent to three and a half months’ salary. In an interview with the newspaper, Kuntz explains that he has still not admitted any serious misconduct on his part.
January 26: HSV reacts to the interview. In a new press release, the supervisory board states: “The breaches, described credibly and independently by several informants and having given rise to internal investigations, encompass numerous serious breaches of duty which should have prompted any responsible member of the supervisory board to act. » Claims by Kuntz’s lawyer that his client is even unaware of the exact nature of the charges are “patently false.”
Suspension of Dompé
January 29: Hamburg suspends winger Jean-Luc Dompé, one of its best players. It gradually appears that after the Hamburg derby, the Frenchman had drunk too much and caused a car accident with a blood alcohol level of 1.4 g/L. To make matters worse, he then took an electric scooter, was caught red-handed and now faces a new charge. The most shocking: Dompé is a repeat offender. In early 2023, he took part in an illegal street race and crashed into a bus shelter. It therefore remains suspended.
Jean-Luc Dompé remains suspended. The 30-year-old winger was handed a record six-figure fine by HSV. This fine was communicated to him during a subsequent interview. Dompé speaks publicly for the first time and apologizes…
— Hamburger SV (@HSV)
February 3, 2026
20th day
January 31: despite the chaos reigning within the club, HSV delivered a superb performance against Bayern Munich, deemed invincible. In the end, a masterful tactical lesson from coach Merlin Polzin resulted in an honorable 2-2 draw.
A frantic final straight line
In the home stretch of the transfer window, HSV raised its voice:
January 29: right back Silvan Hefti (28) joins DC United in Washington for €150,000.
January 30: Emir Sahiti (27 years old) is loaned to Maccabi Tel Aviv with an option to buy (1.5 million euros).
January 31: HSV obtains the loan of attacking midfielder Albert Grönbaek (24 years old), from Stade Rennais, while he was initially loaned to Genoa. The Norwegian international can be recruited permanently this summer for 5 million euros. Furthermore, defender Guilherme Ramos (28 years old) leaves the club for Beijing Guoan for €100,000.
February 1: BVB left-back Almugera Kabar (19) goes to Hamburg for his medical examination – and fails. The transfer is canceled.
February 2: on the last day of the transfer window, Hamburg finalizes a player exchange: Otto Stange (18) returns from his loan earlier than expected, while Immanuel Pherai (24) joins SV Elversberg on loan until the end of the season. Furthermore, young defender Aboubaka Soumahoro (20 years old) is loaned to AS Saint-Étienne, while winger Philipp Otele (26 years old) arrives at the club. HSV paid 1.5 million euros for the 26-year-old on loan from FC Basel. He can be recruited permanently this summer for 4.5 million euros.
