Hertha Berlin have signed winger Oluwaseun Adewumi on loan from Burnley, with a unique contract detail benefiting the second-division club. The loan fee decreases for the capital club with every appearance the 21-year-old makes.
Adewumi moved to Berlin after a previous loan spell at Cercle Brugge ended. The Belgians held a purchase option but could not agree on a transfer fee with Burnley. Hertha's sporting director Benjamin Weber, coach Stefan Leitl and coordinator Sami Allagui then held successful talks with the player. Clubs from Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium and Poland were also interested in the right-footer, who remains under contract at Burnley until 2028.
The exact amount of the initial, six-figure loan fee has not been disclosed. The key element is the mechanism that provides financial relief for Hertha Berlin. The more Adewumi plays, the less money the club ultimately has to pay to Burnley. The club is using the same model for its second new signing, Farid Alfa-Ruprecht, who was loaned from Bayer Leverkusen. Both players are intended to add pace to the flanks.
For Hertha, this agreement is a clever move given the strained financial situation. The club can thus sign talented players without overburdening the budget. The current table shows the strategy is bearing early fruit: Hertha BSC sits in second place in the 2. Bundesliga after four matchdays.
The Austrian is versatile and brings exactly the qualities coach Stefan Leitl is looking for. "The way we are playing is fantastic," Leitl said recently. Adewumi stands out for his tremendous speed and quick decision-making. At his previous club, Floridsdorfer AC in Austria's second division, he mostly operated on the wings. At Cercle Brugge he was often used as a striker, and at FC Dundee even as a playmaker.
At Hertha, he has already introduced himself with two goals in the first four competitive matches. He scored both goals with first-time finishes in the matches against Heidenheim (4:1) and Braunschweig (5:3). His flexibility is a major advantage for squad planning. The full squad composition can be viewed on our squad page.
Hertha Berlin deliberately waived a purchase option in Adewumi's loan contract. This gives the club maximum flexibility for the future. If the winger exceeds expectations, new negotiations can take place in the summer of 2024. If his development stagnates, the engagement ends automatically. It's a calculated risk taken by the sporting leadership.
The focus is clearly on the current season and a return to the Bundesliga. With players like Adewumi and Alfa-Ruprecht, Hertha has strengthened its attack. The next chance to see the two in action is the away match at 1. FC Magdeburg on September 14, 2024. The complete schedule can be found on our fixtures page. Adewumi's contract with his parent club Burnley runs until June 30, 2028.
