Team

HSV sign Bilal Nadir

The Moroccan-French midfielder joins HSV on a free transfer from Olympique de Marseille and has signed a long-term contract. Claus Costa: “Bilal is a player who always wants the ball and can change the tempo of a game.”

Following the signing of centre-forward Patson Daka, the Rothosen have also brought in Bilal Nadir. The Moroccan-French midfielder, who has spent the past five years with Marseille, successfully completed his medical at the Athleticum im Volkspark before travelling on to the training camp in Austria. There, on Friday morning (24th July), he met with board member for sport Kathleen Krüger and sporting director Claus Costa, and put pen to paper on a long-term contract. Nadir will wear the number 4 shirt for HSV.

“Bilal is a very versatile and adaptable player who can operate in a number of different roles in midfield. His arrival gives us even greater flexibility in that area of the pitch and adds both quality and depth to the squad. He is a calm character who clearly enjoys his football and is a very good fit for both the way we want to play and the values we stand for. We’re delighted that Bilal has chosen to join us on this journey and are very pleased to welcome him to HSV,” said Kathleen Krüger.

Claus Costa added: “Bilal has a lot of quality and is technically very strong. He is a player who always wants the ball, plays with real energy and moves intelligently in the half-spaces. That allows him to change the tempo of a game and link different areas of the side. At the same time, he works hard and is disciplined out of possession. Despite his young age, Bilal has already gained plenty of experience and is ready to take the next step in his career. We’re confident that his quality can make an immediate difference to our game, while we also believe there is still plenty more to come from him. We’re looking forward to helping Bilal continue his development at HSV.”

From Nice’s academy to Marseille’s first team

Bilal Nadir was born in Nice on the French Riviera on 28th November 2003. The 22-year-old came through the ranks at hometown club OGC Nice before moving from their U19s to Olympique de Marseille’s second team in the summer of 2021. Two years later, he was promoted to the first-team squad and made his professional debut in September 2023. Nadir went on to make 53 competitive appearances for Marseille, scoring twice and providing five assists. Those appearances included four games in the UEFA Champions League and two in the UEFA Europa League.

Born in France, Nadir was called up to the senior Morocco squad in March 2025, his father’s homeland. He did not feature against either Niger or Tanzania, however, and is therefore still waiting to make his senior international debut. Nadir had previously represented Morocco at U23 level as well as several French youth sides.

“I’m very happy to be a HSV player now. I can’t wait to meet the HSV fans and play for Hamburg,” said Nadir shortly after putting pen to paper, before heading straight out to the training pitch.

Moin and bienvenue to HSV, Bilal!