Hartberg pockets €3m as Elias Havel seals Genoa transfer

Hartberg will receive a transfer fee of €3 million for Elias Havel’s move to Serie A side Genoa. The 23-year-old striker scored 16 competitive goals for the Styrians last season — and that in a Bundesliga where Hartberg currently sit sixth with 33 points from 22 games.

What happened?

Elias Havel, 23, is leaving Hartberg for Italy. Genoa has agreed terms with the striker for a move to the Serie A. LASK, where Havel was cut loose a year ago, is set to profit from the deal — and Hartberg will pocket the transfer fee.

Last season was Havel’s best in a Hartberg shirt: 16 competitive goals in 30 appearances explain why LASK once signed him. But under manager Joao Sacramento, Havel no longer fit the plans. Now the 23-year-old is seizing his chance in Genoa.

Why this matters for Hartberg

For the Styrian club, the deal is a financial win. €3 million is a tidy sum for a 23-year-old who last played in the Bundesliga. The fee bolsters the coffers — and at a time when Hartberg sit sixth with 33 points from 22 games.

With a goal difference of 29:24 (+5) and just five points behind Sturm Graz, Hartberg remain in the title race. The transfer fee arrives at the right moment. The Styrians now must find a replacement for Havel, who recently bagged 16 goals in a single season.

What comes next?

Hartberg face the challenge of replacing Havel’s output. The club must move fast to shore up the attack. At the same time, the transfer fee secures financial flexibility for incoming deals.

For Elias Havel, a new chapter begins in Genoa. Serie A is a different beast to the Bundesliga — yet his 16 goals for Hartberg show he has the pedigree for bigger stages. Whether he can make it stick in Italy remains to be seen.

Hartberg keep their Bundesliga push alive: 33 points from 22 games and just five adrift of Sturm Graz keep the Styrians in the title hunt.