Bundesliga
Union take French defender on loan
Stanley Nsoki will spend the 2025/26 season on loan at Union Berlin from Hoffenheim after the former Paris Saint-Germain youth product and France U21 international agreed a deal with the capital club.
Nsoki has spent three seasons at Hoffenheim after spells at Nice and Club Brugge following his development at PSG.
He said on concluding the loan deal at Union: "The club have a clear identity, fight with heart and conviction, and that's exactly what suits me. I feel the confidence here that I can contribute something with my style of play. For me, this is the right step to continue my development in a special environment and at the same time give everything for the success of the team."
After six appearances in the UEFA Champions League for Brugge, Nsoki played 19 times in his first season for Hoffenheim as they finished 12th. He featured in a further 11 matches in 2023/24 as they came seventh and 22 last term's 15th-placed finish. Various injuries prevented the 26-year-old centre-back from gaining further playing time.
Horst Heldt, Union's managing director for men's football, said: “Stanley brings not only international experience from top leagues but also exactly the qualities we appreciate at Union: he is strong in duels, focused and versatile. Once he has recovered from his injury, he will make our defence more versatile.”
Nsoki's first task at his new club will be completing a comeback from a muscular injury Heldt referred to. His new club open their competitive season with a DFB Cup first round tie away at Gütersloh on Friday, 15 August, before a Bundesliga opener at home to reigning cup holders VfB Stuttgart on Saturday, 23 August.