Chipolopolo Boys forward Patson Daka had his first training session with his new teammates on Wednesday.
Daka trained with the Bundesliga side who have set up a training camp in Austria ahead of the new season.
The Zambian international has put pen to paper on a one year deal with Germany Bundesliga side Hamburger SV. Daka has joined Die Rothosen as a free agent following the end of his five year stint with former EPL Champions, Leicester City.
Patson Daka’s journey to Hamburg has taken him from the football pitches of Zambia to some of Europe’s biggest stages. Born in Kafue on 9 October 1998, the striker began his career at Kafue Celtic before rapidly emerging as one of the country’s brightest prospects. After progressing through Zambia’s youth national teams, he made his senior international debut at the age of just 16, underlining his remarkable potential.
Daka’s breakthrough in European football came in 2017 when he joined Austrian club FC Liefering on loan before becoming part of Red Bull Salzburg’s highly successful academy setup. That same year, he helped Salzburg’s Under-19 side lift the UEFA Youth League title. He soon established himself as one of the club’s most prolific forwards, scoring 68 goals in 125 competitive appearances while playing a central role in an era of domestic dominance.
During his time in Austria, Salzburg won four successive Bundesliga titles and three Austrian Cups, while Daka claimed the league’s Golden Boot with 27 goals in the 2020-21 campaign and was voted Austrian Bundesliga Player of the Season.
Those performances earned him a move to Leicester City in 2021 for a reported €30 million fee — a record transfer involving a Zambian player at the time, where he became the first Zambian to score in the Premier League.
He further etched his name into the club’s history by scoring four times in a UEFA Europa League victory over Spartak Moscow, becoming Leicester’s first player since 1958 to net four goals in a competitive fixture.
Across four seasons in England, Daka made 76 Premier League appearances, featured in 15 Europa League matches and played 10 times in the UEFA Champions League, adding valuable experience at the highest level before leaving the Foxes following their relegation to League One this summer.
Since arriving in England, the Chipolopolo forward scored 29 goals and registered 18 assists in 166 appearances across all competitions.
He was also part of the Leicester squad that won the FA Community Shield and remains the club’s all-time leading scorer in European competitions.
