Sebastien Haller has joined Dutch Eredivisie side FC Utrecht on a permanent basis from German Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund, Afrosport reports.
The 31-year-old Ivory Coast striker was on loan at Utrecht in the second half of the 2024-25 season and scored six goals in 18 competitive appearances.
He was also on loan at Spanish La Liga club Leganes during the first half of the campaign, making only eight appearances but failed to score or assist.
Haller returns to Utrecht on a one-year contract, having played for them first on loan from Auxerre in 2015 before playing on a permanent basis from 2015 to 2017.
Overall, the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations champion has 57 goals and 17 assists in 116 appearances for Utrecht, and is ready to help in their European campaign as they take on Bosnian side Zrinjski Mostar in the final qualification round for a place in the league phase of the Europa League.
“There was considerable interest from other clubs this summer,” Haller told the club website.
“However, for me, there was only one ideal scenario, and that was FC Utrecht. We have built something remarkable over the past year, and I would like to continue to be a part of it.
“When you consider our achievements in Europe, it has been exceptional. Excellent matches, significant results. The only thought is: I would like to be part of that, to assist the team. And now, that has been achieved.”
Encore.
— FC Utrecht (@fcutrecht) August 18, 2025
Haller was diagnosed with testicular cancer after joining Dortmund from Ajax Amsterdam in the summer of 2022. He underwent two surgeries and chemotherapy in his recovery process before returning to action in early 2023.
He scored the winning goal that handed Ivory Coast the 2023 AFCON title on home soil.
