Ten transfers to shape the Machineseeker EHF Champions League

Khalifa Ghedbane (CS Dinamo Bucuresti to HC Eurofarm Pelister)

The Algerian goalkeeper helped HC Vardar win their second EHF Champions League title in 2019 after some stunning saves in the last minutes of the game. After that, he moved to Leon and then to Dinamo Bucaresti last season, where he proved again he was up to the EHF Champions League level. Now his aim will be to help Eurofarm Pelister as they make their comeback in the European top-flight.

Hassan Kaddah (Zamalek SC Handball to Barlinek Industria Kielce)

Egyptian players have been the trend lately in European handball. Yahia Omar and Yehia Elderaa have been doing wonders for Telekom Veszprém in the last two seasons while their compatriot Ahmed Hesham will discover the EHF Champions League with Montpellier this season. At 23, Hassan Kaddah already stunned the handball world last year, when he averaged more than 10 goals a game at the IHF Super Globe – displaying why Talant Dujshebaev has decided to sign him for Kielce.

Vincent Gérard (Saint-Raphaël to THW Kiel)

Who could possibly follow Niklas Landin between the THW Kiel posts? That’s right, only another EHF Champions League winner. Vincent Gérard lifted the trophy with Montpellier back in 2018 and delivered some amazing performances with Paris Saint-Germain in the following years. While he spent last season far from the Champions League, its appeal was clearly just too big. And when THW Kiel rang, he did not hesitate.

Alexander Blonz (OTP-Bank Pick Szeged to GOG)

The 2019 World Championship silver medallist with Norway has been going through ups and downs in his club career. He stepped into the spotlight with Elverum but a severe knee injury clouded his last days with the Norwegian side before he moved to Szeged. At only 23, he decided to give a boost to his career by signing with GOG, a team with many young talented players that will give him the opportunity to step back into the light.

Felix Claar (Aalborg Håndbold to SC Magdeburg)

The Swedish mastermind has given himself a new challenge. After three stunning seasons with Aalborg, including one EHF FINAL4 participation in 2021, the 26-year-old joins the reigning champions. His experience and his eye for the perfect pass will fit perfectly into Bennet Wiegert’s system and Claar is already one of the main attractions for SCM this season.

Jacob Holm (Füchse Berlin to Paris Saint-Germain)

Right after winning the EHF European League with Füchse Berlin, Jacob Holm decided to give another boost to his career by signing with Paris. After all, at almost 28, it is time for him to discover the EHF Champions League, a competition he has never played before. But Holm has plenty of handball experience already, both with Füchse and the Danish national team, and his shooting range will be a great help for PSG on the backcourt.

Miha Zarabec (THW Kiel to Orlen Wisla Plock)

In the need for a proper playmaker, Plock coach Xavi Sabate made his pick very early on. Slovenian centre back Miha Zarabec is everything that he needs. Quick, playful, strong in one-against-one situations but also at setting his teammates in the best position, Zarabec is definitely the kind of player that will make his teammates better. Expect to see some crazy passes flying in the Orlen Arena this season.

Niklas Landin (THW Kiel to Aalborg Håndbold)

One season after Mikkel Hansen, it is time for Niklas Landin also to go back to Denmark. The goalkeeper has won everything with Kiel over the eight years he stayed there, from the EHF Cup to the EHF Champions League in 2020. Now he will offer all of his experience to Aalborg, a team that has been completely rebuilt over the summer. In such a situation, it is always good to have one or two safe bets in your roster, and Niklas Landin is definitely one of them.

Sander Sagosen (THW Kiel to Kolstad Handball)

Kolstad are entering the handball big stage with a bang. After signing former GOG and Flensburg goalkeeper Torbjørn Bergerud and line player Magnus Gullerud, who previously played for SC Magdeburg, the Norwegian champions created havoc by seducing 2020 Champions League winner Sander Sagosen. The Norwegian left back can really change the face of a club, as he showed with the Zebras in his first two seasons there. For sure, Kolstad lack collective experience, but in Sagosen, they will have someone to rely on.

Ludovic Fabregas (Barça to Telekom Veszprém)

Veszprém sealed one of the major transfers of the summer when they signed triple Champions League winner Ludovic Fabregas. The French line player is the perfect example of an all-round player, as he excels on both sides of the court. And no matter how strong his opponents are, he will be able to find solutions and to make his team better. In Hungary, he will meet many French-speaking players and that should speed up his adaptation even more.

Photos © Lars Rune Skaug, Laurene Valroff, René Schütze