Hamburg sign Terem Moffi from Nice: Fee, contract length, No. 9 shirt & what happens next

Nigeria international Terem Moffi has joined Hamburger SV from OGC Nice on a permanent transfer, Footynaija reports.

The 27-year-old striker has signed a three-year contract and will wear Hamburg’s No. 9 shirt as the club starts life back in the Bundesliga.

The move gives Samsunspor-linked Moffi a chance to restart his club career after a difficult period at Nice and a short loan spell at FC Porto. It also gives Hamburg another experienced centre-forward ahead of a demanding Bundesliga campaign.

Terem Moffi to Hamburger: The transfer fee

Hamburg will pay Nice €2 million as the fixed transfer fee for Moffi, who was also on the radar of Turkish giants Besiktas. The deal can rise by another €500,000 through add-ons. That puts the possible total at €2.5 million if all the bonus conditions are met.

The fee is far below the amount Nice paid to sign Moffi from Lorient in 2023. Nice spent more than €20 million on the striker after his strong spell in Ligue 1..Moffi now leaves France after more than three years with Nice. He scored 24 goals in 72 appearances for the club.

Three years in Hamburg

Moffi has signed until 2029. The contract gives him three seasons to establish himself in Germany and gives Hamburg a striker with experience in France, Portugal and international football. L’Équipe reported that the Nigerian had agreed to a three-year deal before completing his medical in Hamburg.

His medical took place at the Athleticum at the Volkspark last weekend. He then completed the move and became Hamburg’s seventh squad addition of the summer.

The deal also comes at an important point in Hamburg’s squad rebuild. Robert Glatzel left the club for VfL Wolfsburg in June after five seasons at Hamburg. The experienced German striker had been an important scorer and leader during the club’s return to the Bundesliga. Moffi arrives as part of the answer to that attacking change.

Why the No. 9 shirt matters

Terem Moffi will wear the No. 9 shirt at Hamburg. That is a clear signal of his role. He is not arriving as a wide forward or a squad player who will spend most of his time away from the penalty area. Hamburg have signed him to play through the middle.

The club’s sporting director Claus Costa described Moffi as a striker who is difficult to control because of his physical strength, determination and style of play. Hamburg also value his ability to attack space, compete in the box and play with his back to goal.

Those qualities fit a team preparing for the physical demands of Bundesliga football.

What Hamburg expect from Moffi

Hamburg already signed Patson Daka on a free transfer in July. The Zambia international brings pace, movement and a strong record in front of goal.

Terem Moffi gives coach Merlin Polzin another option. His strength allows him to hold off defenders and bring midfielders into attacks. His runs can also push centre-backs backwards and create space for other Hamburg attackers.

That variety is exactly what Hamburg wanted. Kathleen Krüger, the club’s board member for sport, said Moffi gives the team more depth and flexibility at centre-forward. She also pointed to his international experience and his ability to help younger players.

Moffi also has European experience. Last season, he played seven Europa League matches for Nice and Porto and scored against VfB Stuttgart in Porto’s 4-1 aggregate win in the round of 16. He scored twice in 15 appearances for Porto during his six-month loan.

What happens next?

There is little time for Terem Moffi to settle in. Hamburg’s first competitive match of the 2026/27 season is away to Verl in the DFB Cup first round on Monday night. Their Bundesliga campaign then starts away to Borussia Dortmund on Saturday evening.

That schedule gives Moffi an immediate test. His first target will be to earn a place in the starting XI. He will also have to build an understanding with Daka and Hamburg’s attacking midfielders.

The move is a fresh start for a striker who scored 35 goals in 90 appearances for Lorient before earning his move to Nice. Now, in Germany, Moffi has three years to prove that the No. 9 shirt can become his own.