Final utterances of acclaimed figure Karabec to HSV
Adam Karabec, a 22-year-old midfielder, has joined Olympique Lyon on a one-year loan from his previous club, HSV, effective from August 12, 2025 [1][2][3]. The transfer was officially announced on late Tuesday evening.
Karabec, an attacking midfielder who emerged from Sparta Prague's youth system and made his professional debut in 2020, spent the 2021-2022 Ligue 1 season with HSV, with no impact on the French league [4].
HSV had initially expressed interest in renewing Karabec's deal, but eventually distanced itself from the midfielder [5]. The HSV bosses did not pull the purchase option for Karabec at the end of the season and did not reach an agreement with the parent club Sparta Prague about a reasonable price.
Karabec bid farewell to HSV on Instagram, posting pictures from the previous season and the promotion parties, and writing: "You are always welcome at the Volkspark." Underneath the post, he wrote "Thank you for everything, HSV," which can be interpreted as his last words to his previous loan club.
The new season in France begins this weekend, with Olympique playing away at RC Lens on Saturday (5 pm). Olympique Lyon will be competing in the Europa League in the new Ligue 1 season, instead of the English FA Cup winners Crystal Palace [6].
Olympique Lyon is paying a loan fee of approximately 300,000 euros for Karabec's transfer, with a purchase option of 3.5 million euros plus bonuses of 800,000 euros [7]. If Olympique permanently signs Karabec next summer and resells him in the future, Sparta Prague will receive a 15 percent share of the profits.
Karabec celebrated the 10th of May, the day of HSV's promotion game against Ulm, with his teammates on the balcony of a box and on the field with the fans [8]. After the game, he took a photo of himself on the devastated pitch, wearing the promotion shirt and white running shoes, with a smile on his face.
Interestingly, Olympique Lyon recently won a friendly match against HSV (4:0), and Karabec expressed a desire to stay at HSV, stating he felt very comfortable and would miss the club. However, no solution was found for a future in Hamburg and the Bundesliga [9]. Stefan Kuntz and Claus Costa, HSV officials, had doubts about Karabec's potential as a real reinforcement for the challenge of the Bundesliga.
This photo was posted by Karabec on Instagram 13 weeks ago and again in his story on the day of the transfer announcement [10]. Despite seeming to have approached each other at one point, HSV eventually distanced itself from a renewed Karabec deal.
[1] Source 1 [2] Source 2 [3] Source 3 [4] Source 4 [5] Source 5 [6] Source 6 [7] Source 7 [8] Source 8 [9] Source 9 [10] Source 10
Karabec, now with Olympique Lyon, may find opportunities in European leagues, as he previously had no impact in the French Ligue 1 during his loan at HSV. Olympique is set to play in the Europa League this season, instead of the English FA Cup winners Crystal Palace.
