It was only shortly after the promotion parade around the inner Alster had wrapped up that the rumors of a potential transfer of HSV star midfielder Ludovit Reis to Belgian side Club Brugge started to circulate and quickly picked up steam. Those rumors are rumor no more, as the Red Shorts announced the Dutch midfielder’s departure via an emotional video message from the now former Vice Captain on the club’s X account. Shortly thereafter, Club Brugge posted a video of Reis wearing their jersey with the number six on a beach.
Reis’s departure has reportedly netted the club seven million euros, which will be re-invested in the squad.
In his comments on the transfer, Sporting Director Stefan Kuntz emphasized that despite the decision, it had been the hope of the club to keep Reis as a key figure in the Red Shorts’ first season back in the Bundesliga since 2017/18:
“After numerous in-depth discussions, we have now, with a heavy heart, agreed to his wish. We were extremely keen on continuing to work with Ludo. We wanted to take our next steps together in the Bundesliga and try and tie him down to a long-term contract here because he’s developed massively and was an important figure in our team” (hsv.de)
Reis, who was clearly emotional in the video posted by the club, commented that:
“This was not an easy decision for me and I’m definitely leaving with a heavy heart, but I really wanted to take this opportunity. I would like to thank my teammates, the staff members and, above all, the HSV fans for this unforgettable time. I will always have a place in my heart for HSV and wish the club all the best for their return to the Bundesliga!”
He also left the door open for a potential return to the Hansestadt one day, though didn’t make any promises.
The departure leaves a big hole in the Hamburg midfield, and it will be on Kuntz and Head Scout Claus Costa to fill that hole. Reis, who arrived on a free transfer from Barcelona back in 2021 has been a constant in the Hamburg midfield when healthy. At only 24 years old, he still has much more potential, which in part explains his desire to move to Brugge, who are regulars in Europe.
Reis’s physical play style, emotional leadership, and key link-up passing will be sorely missed. He also had a penchant for scoring timely goals. He gave the Red Shorts the lead in the 2022 Relegation Playoff first leg against Hertha Berlin with what was meant to be a cross but found the back of the net (no need to dwell on that anymore though).
Reis also waited for the biggest moments of the most recent season to score his only two goals in Hamburg’s successful promotion campaign. After a three match winless skid was seemingly threatening what had looked like a smooth promotion Rückrunde, Reis opened the scoring with a header off of a corner against SV Darmstadt on Matchday 32 in what eventually became a massive 4-0 win. After the Red Shorts fell behind early to SSV Ulm in the eventual promotion clincher, he scored the equalizer shortly thereafter with a thunderous low strike to even the score. HSV would go on to win 6-1 and finally clinch a return to the Bundesliga.
What comes next?
HSV have already added a midfielder who could at least in part help offset the departure of Reis by signing midfielder Nicolai Remberg from Holstein Kiel. Remberg is a strong physical presence who will help offset much of what the Red Shorts have lost with the departure of Reis, though he profiles as more of a defensive midfielder than a number eight.
Adam Karabec, who was Reis’s most regular partner in Merlin Polzin’s double-eight 4-3-3 formation saw his loan from Sparta Prague expire at the end of the season. It has been reported that HSV want to make the move permanent, and it seems there is mutual interest from Karabec’s side. Whether or not that happens seems to depend on whether Sparta Prague will be willing to lower their asking price for the young midfielder.
There are several options currently under contract within the roster, in the form of Lukasz Poręba and Immanuel Pherai. Poręba is more of a defensive midfielder, and Pherai is more of a number ten, but both are capable of playing in the number eight position.
Ransford Königsdörffer, who spent much of the season as a super-sub striker for Polzin, is also an option as a number eight. He played that role to devastating effect in the late season wins against Darmstadt and Ulm, making well timed and devastating runs, and scoring three goals across the two games (one against Darmstadt two against Ulm, including what ultimately proved to be the promotion clincher). Though it appears quite likely that HSV will not extend Davie Selke, the seemingly impending arrival of French forward Rayan Phillippe could mean that Königsdörffer’s role next season is more in the midfield.
Despite all of these options, it is still highly likely that HSV will look to sign at least one more starting caliber midfielder before the start of the season. As of now, the only three signings that Hamburg have officially made are Remberg, defender Jordan Torunarigha from KAA Gent, and 17-year old goalkeeping talent Fernando Dickes from RB Leipzig.
The announcement of Reis’s departure only makes official what has seemed like a foregone conclusion for nearly a month now. Though it is certainly a shame that Reis won’t be a part of the squad in the first season back in the Bundesliga, the role that he played for the Red Shorts during his stint in northern Germany, particularly down the stretch of the first (and hopefully last) promotion season will be etched into HSV history.
Tschüss und danke, Ludo.