Königsdörffer opens up about failed Nice move

Ransford-Yeboah Königsdörffer has spoken about his collapsed move to Ligue 1 outfit OGC Nice, a transfer the Ghana international believed was already sealed.

The 23-year-old had already decided to join Nice and completed a medical with the French club, but the deal collapsed unexpectedly. 

Speaking during HSV’s training camp in Mallorca, Königsdörffer said he was surprised by the outcome, particularly because he had been consistently fit in recent seasons. “I was already quite surprised, especially because in the past three years at HSV I’ve hardly missed a game,” he explained, suggesting that Nice’s concerns had come as a shock. 

“Maybe they changed their mind,” he added.

Königsdörffer said he had direct conversations with the club after the failed medical. “I spoke with the people in charge at Nice. They shared their view of things, I shared mine, and in the end, we couldn’t find common ground. After the tests, they said there were some issues, and we stayed in contact. In the end, I had to accept the club’s opinion.”

Now back with HSV, the Ghana international says his team-mates have welcomed him without hesitation, though not without a bit of humour. 

“Some of the lads hugged me, some said it was a shame it didn’t work out, and others said it was nice to have me back. There were also a few little jokes – things like how I could’ve had weather like this all year if I’d been in Nice,” he said with a smile.

Despite the disappointment, Königsdörffer insisted he had no problem returning to Hamburg and had remained in close contact with the club throughout the process. “I was always speaking with Stefan Kuntz, Claus Costa and Merlin Polzin. Even when the offer came in, the communication was open and clear.”

Königsdörffer, who has six caps for Ghana, remains under contract at HSV until 2026.