Suche
Mein Konto
St. Pauli is puzzling: Will Eric Smith actually move to Olympique Lyon?
Current transfer rumors: FC St. Pauli could lose Eric Smith to Olympique Lyon. What does that mean for the team?
St. Pauli is puzzling: Will Eric Smith actually move to Olympique Lyon?
Summer is not only a popular time for holidaymakers, the football world is also in turmoil. Especially in the transfer period, everything revolves around changes and contract negotiations. This is also the case at FC St. Pauli, which has been heavily involved in transfer activities since its return to the Bundesliga. One player who has been turning heads in recent days is co-captain Eric Smith. Reports from France are making people sit up and take notice: Olympique Lyon is showing great interest in the talented midfielder. According to stpauli24.mopo.de, Smith is seen as a key player for the French league, but it remains unclear whether an early exit is actually in the cards.
Last season, Smith proved that he can play equally well in multiple positions on the team. His performance not only made him one of the best players of the last season, but also cemented his role as a leader in the club. “There’s something going on,” you could say in the team. However, according to transfermarkt.de, the club does not seem to be willing to sell Smith for a high price, as finding a suitable replacement player with comparable qualities would be extremely difficult.
The Smith dilemma
Eric Smith feels happy and comfortable in Hamburg. At the end of 2024, he extended his contract long-term and said that both he and his family feel well integrated in the Hanseatic city. The young player has clearly communicated that he will not move in any other direction as long as St. Pauli plays in the Bundesliga and remains competitive. This makes the decision for the club's management all the more difficult, because if the co-captain were to be sold, he could cost far more than his current market value, a circumstance that kicker.de also addresses.
The Smith rumors come at a time when several other FC St. Pauli players are also in the firing line. Departures of important players such as Burchert, Eggestein and Guilavogui cannot be ruled out. The fates of the players could have a significant impact on the decision regarding Smith's future.
Whether he ends up staying or going remains to be seen. The season is just around the corner and, as usual, the transfer carousel will continue to spin. The supporters of FC St. Pauli hope that the Swedish international will stay, because they don't want to give up a player of Smith's quality so easily. The course will be set in the coming weeks, and the football fever in the north remains exciting!