Joshua Quarshie heads to Austria as Sturm Graz secure Southampton loan

Germany-Ghana centre-back Joshua Quarshie has joined Sturm Graz from Southampton on loan, beginning a new spell in the Austrian Bundesliga after moving away from the Championship club.

The 22-year-old’s switch was completed on 27 August 2026, with the loan running until 30 June 2027. Quarshie is contracted to Southampton and is scheduled to return to the English club when the temporary move ends.

Quarshie joined Sturm Graz after Southampton paid €3.5m to sign him from Hoffenheim in July 2025. He had previously spent time away from Hoffenheim on loan at Greuther Furth and Fortuna Dusseldorf, gaining experience in Germany’s second tier before making his move to England.

The defender began the 2026-27 campaign with Southampton but had made no appearances in either the Championship or the EFL Cup before completing his move to Austria. His arrival gives Sturm Graz a centre-back who has been used in both German and English football.

Born in Duisburg on 26 July 2004, Quarshie holds German and Ghanaian nationality. Standing at 1.96m, he plays primarily at centre-back and is listed as comfortable using either foot.

His development began in the youth systems of Schalke 04 and Fortuna Dusseldorf before he moved to Rot-Weiss Essen. He joined Hoffenheim II from Rot-Weiss Essen Under-19s in July 2022 and progressed into Hoffenheim’s senior set-up a year later.

Quarshie’s move to Sturm Graz represents his latest change of club since entering senior football. He spent the second half of the 2023-24 season on loan at Fortuna Dusseldorf, then moved to Greuther Furth during the following campaign before returning to Hoffenheim at the end of that loan.

Southampton signed him permanently in the summer of 2025, and he now switches to Austria for the 2026-27 season. His market value is listed at €4m, although no fee has been attached to the loan agreement.

The completed deal takes Quarshie from Southampton to Sturm Graz on loan through 30 June 2027.