Official: Sébastien Haller leaves Dortmund and joins Utrecht on a permanent deal

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·18 Agustus 2025

Official: Sébastien Haller leaves Dortmund and joins Utrecht on a permanent deal

The Ivorian striker returns to the Netherlands, where he had shined during his loan spell.

Official: Sébastien Haller leaves Dortmund and joins Utrecht on a permanent deal

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Sébastien Haller has officially left Borussia Dortmund to sign permanently with FC Utrecht. On Monday, August 18, 2025, the 31-year-old Ivorian striker put pen to paper on a one-year contract running through 2026 with the Dutch side, having previously joined them on loan during the second half of last season.

The Africa Cup of Nations champion makes a triumphant return to the Netherlands after impressing during his loan stint at Utrecht in the latter part of the 2024-2025 campaign. The former West Ham frontman played a pivotal role in Utrecht's historic qualification for European football, helping the club clinch a fourth-place finish in the Eredivisie. His impact was immediate and decisive, both on and off the pitch.

Encore.
– Senin, 18 Agustus 2025

Haller's journey with Borussia Dortmund had its share of highs and lows. Arriving in 2022 for around €31 million, he was immediately faced with a testicular cancer diagnosis that sidelined him for several months. His comeback in the 2022-2023 season was nothing short of remarkable, netting nine goals and providing five assists to keep Dortmund in the title race until the final day. In the meantime, the striker endured a difficult loan spell at Leganes in Spain before regaining his confidence at Utrecht at the start of 2025. Haller departs Dortmund with a record of 12 goals and 6 assists in 41 matches across all competitions for the German club.

"I'm happy and content. In fact, everything feels right. This summer, other clubs showed interest, but for me, there was only one perfect scenario, and that was FC Utrecht. Last year, we built something special and I want to be part of it for longer. When you see what we've accomplished in Europe, it's fantastic. Great matches, excellent results. The only thing you think is: I want to be part of it, to help the team. And now that's a reality," said Sébastien Haller at his signing.