The 10-time Belgian champions (most recently under the management of László Bölöni in 2009), Standard, who are currently only in 7th place in the league, announced on Sunday that they had taken Szalai on loan from Hoffenheim for half a year.
„Despite the difficult situation at TSG in recent months, Attila always behaved impeccably, putting the interests of the team first – the sports director of Hoffenheim told the German club’s website about the transfer, Andreas Schicker. – Last year, shortly after my arrival, we had a detailed confidential conversation, at the end of which we came to the conclusion that a loan could be the right solution for everyone in the current situation. I wish Attila all the best in the coming months, above all good luck.”
In the summer of 2023, Szalai transferred from the Turkish Fenerbahce to Hoffenheim, but he only played in five matches, not once this season. He was also loaned out last spring, then to the German club Freiburg.
In Standard, three interior defenders, Nathan Ngoy of the Belgian U team, Bosko Stualo of Croatia and David Bates, the four-time Scottish national team, are currently injured, which is why the team needed a new player in the position.
-Standard is managed by Croatian Ivan Leko, who arrived last January, but the club previously had two Hungarian managers. Before László Bölöni, born in Marosvásárhely, who won the team’s last championship, it was managed by Géza Kalocsay between 1958 and 1961 (two-time Hungarian national team player, KEK semi-finalist with Újpest as a coach), who also won the championship with Standard in 1961.
Belgium
