St. Pauli puzzles: Will Eric Smith actually switch to Olympique Lyon?

St. Pauli puzzles: Will Eric Smith actually switch to Olympique Lyon?

St Pauli, Deutschland - Summer is not only a popular period for vacationers, the football world is also in turmoil. Especially in the transfer time, everything revolves around change and contract negotiations. So also at FC St. Pauli, who has been involved in transfer events since his return to the Bundesliga. A player who has caused a stir in the past few days is the co-captain Eric Smith. Reports from France make you take notice: Olympique Lyon shows great interest in the talented midfielder. According to [stpauli24.mopo.de] (https://stpauli24.mopo.de/2025/06/17/Geruechte-aus-france-wie-realistic-ist-st-pauli-schied- von-eric-smith.html) Smith is seen as the key player for the French league, but it remains unclear whether a premature descent actually stands.

Last season Smith proved that he can act strongly in several positions in the team. His performance not only made him one of the best players in the last game year, but also strengthened his role as a leader in the club. "There is something" in the team. However, according to [transfermarkt.de] (https://www.transfermarkt.de/wechelelt-eric-smith-zu- olympique-lyon-/thread/154/thread_id/1084176), not being ready to give Smith for a high price, since the search for a suitable substitute with comparable qualities would be extremely difficult.

The dilemma around Smith

Eric Smith feels happy and comfortable in Hamburg. At the end of 2024, he extended his contract in the long term and expressed that both he and his family feel well integrated in the Hanseatic city. The young player has clearly communicated that he is not moving in any other direction as long as St. Pauli plays in the Bundesliga and remains competitive. This makes the decision for the club management all the more tricky, because if the co-captain is sold, it could also cost a fact that his current market value, a fact that kicker.de also addressed.

The rumors around Smith come at a time when several other FC St. Pauli players are also in the line of fire. Departures from important actors such as Burchert, Eggestein and Guilavogui are not excluded. The fates of the players could have a significant impact on the decision regarding Smith's future.

It remains to be seen whether he stays or goes. The season is just around the corner, and as usual, the transfer carousel will continue to rotate. The supporters of FC St. Pauli hope for a whereabouts of the Swedish international, because a player of Smith's quality is not so easy. The course will be set in the coming weeks, and football fever in the north remains exciting!