Sébastien Haller has chosen to leave Borussia Dortmund and rejoin FC Utrecht on a free transfer, bringing an end to months of speculation over his future.
The 31-year-old Ivory Coast international, a 2023 Africa Cup of Nations champion, departs Germany after two and a half years to sign for the Dutch side where he previously enjoyed one of the most productive spells of his career.
The decision follows a difficult period for Haller at Dortmund, where injuries, reduced playing time, and a loan move to Spain combined to limit his impact.
Although under contract until 2026, he was not included in the club’s plans for the upcoming season. According to reports in Germany, Dortmund and Haller mutually agreed to terminate his deal in August 2025, with the Bundesliga side paying a release settlement to facilitate his move.
Haller’s time in Dortmund was marked by mixed fortunes. He helped the club secure a German league title but also endured long absences due to illness and injury, including a battle with testicular cancer which he overcame in 2022.
While moments of brilliance underlined his quality, his recent loan at Leganés yielded modest returns, further signalling that his future lay away from Signal Iduna Park.
A return to Utrecht represents both a personal and professional reset for the striker. Loaned to the Eredivisie club in the second half of the 2024–25 season, Haller scored six goals in 18 appearances, rekindling his scoring instincts and reconnecting with supporters who had embraced him during his first spell from 2015 to 2017.
That earlier stint in the Netherlands proved a launchpad for his career, leading to successful periods at Eintracht Frankfurt and Ajax before his move to Dortmund.
Speaking in May, before his permanent return was confirmed, Haller hinted at his preference for staying in the Netherlands. “If the question is whether I like it here and whether I want to stay, then the answer is yes,” he told reporters at the time.
Utrecht have now secured his services on a deal reportedly worth €490,000 a year, placing him among the club’s highest earners.
The move comes despite interest from other European sides, including Lille and Sporting CP. Haller’s decision was driven less by the lure of prestige and more by the prospect of stability, regular football, and a familiar setting where he can rebuild form ahead of a crucial year.
His focus is on regaining the prolific touch he displayed at Ajax and Utrecht, with one eye firmly on representing the Ivory Coast at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
For Dortmund, the separation marks the close of an ambitious signing that delivered moments of joy but ultimately fell short of sustained success.
For Utrecht, it is the return of a proven goalscorer with a deep connection to the club and its supporters. And for Haller himself, it is a deliberate step back to move forward — a chance to rediscover consistency, reignite his career, and enter the next chapter on his own terms.
