New Hamburg attacking addition Patson Daka bid the Bundesliga a spirited hello on Friday. Following his arrival at HSV's Austrian training camp , new striker Patson Daka has spoken about his decision to join the Bundesliga club and his determination to escape the difficult period that stalled his career at Leicester City.
The 27-year-old joined HSV on a free transfer after Leicester's relegation to the English third tier. Daka, for whom the former Premier League club paid approximately €30m five years ago, initially signed a one-year contract containing an extension option. The Zambian international is expected to make his unofficial debut in Saturday's friendly against 1. FC Heidenheim .
Daka's fellow new Hamburg signing – Moroccan U23 international Bilal Nadir – also saw his arrival on a free transfer confirmed Friday. Like Daka, Nadir is also hoping to put a recent rough patch behind him. Last October, whilst playing for Olympique Marseille , Nadir made unpleasant headlines when he collapsed on the field during a Ligue 1 match against Angers .
In their second season back in the Bundesliga, Hamburg are rapidly becoming the club of "second chances"; an apt categorization in the year that Mario Vuskovic is once again eligible to play following his long suspension. Daka optimistically led the group of new arrivals at his introductory press event.
The striker began researching HSV shortly after the club established contact. Daka also consulted former Salzburg teammates Hee-Chan Hwang (whom many will recall from his RB Leipzig days) and Masaya Okugawa (who mostly featured for Arminia Bielefeld), both of whom previously played in Hamburg.
"I always smile," Daka noted at his unveiling. "I'm always happy. That's simply my personality. I love being here. The people are nice and the club fits perfectly. I'm happy and excited. I spoke with Hee-Chan and Masaya. They told me a great deal about the club and the city. That made the decision easy for me."
Daka acknowledged that he endured difficult years in England, but insisted that uncertainty surrounding his future never caused him serious concern. Daka's past, in the striker's own words, remains effectively irrelevant.
"I'm never afraid of the future," Daka said. "I trust God, and my present is the future because tomorrow is not guaranteed. What I do today determines what will happen to me tomorrow. When I experience a difficult moment, I do something about it."
Daka accepted an initial one-year agreement, though his contract enables him to earn an extension through his performances.
"My desire is to remain here for as long as possible," the striker said. "Everything is possible. I want to help the group quickly."
