TSG Hoffenheim will honor three long-serving and accomplished players before their final home match of the season against Werder Bremen on Saturday (3:30 PM CEST). The contracts of Grischa Prömel (31), Ihlas Bebou (32), and Kevin Akpoguma (31) will not be renewed. While Prömel is reportedly heading to VfB Stuttgart, the futures of the other two remain uncertain.
For striker Bebou, however, several inquiries have already emerged. According to Sky, Bundesliga rivals Union Berlin and 1. FC Köln, along with newly crowned Swiss champions FC Thun, have expressed interest. In the current campaign, Bebou made 17 brief substitute appearances without registering a goal or assist.
“Ihlas returned from injury this season and was an important part of the team with 17 competitive appearances. He has repeatedly proven his quality and was a guarantee for crucial goals for years. Ihlas has definitely left his mark at TSG,” said sporting director Andreas Schicker. Since joining in 2019, Bebou has played 176 matches, ranking 11th among Hoffenheim’s all-time appearance leaders, and scored 37 goals, placing seventh in the club’s scoring chart.
TSG Hoffenheim also bids farewell to Akpoguma and Prömel
Defender Akpoguma has made even more appearances for Hoffenheim. Since 2013, he has featured in 201 matches (four goals), sitting two spots ahead of Bebou on the club’s appearance list. However, this season he managed only seven brief outings totaling 44 minutes.
“Kevin has been one of the faces of the club for years. He embodies TSG’s philosophy of nurturing talent. Moreover, he was always a key point of contact for young and new players in the dressing room. Unfortunately, Akpo didn’t get the playing time he wanted this season, but he always set an example by serving the team and contributed to the squad’s success as a true team player,” Schicker explained.
Prömel wore the Hoffenheim shirt for four years and developed into a national team player. The midfielder contributed 14 goals and eight assists in 85 appearances as a key performer. Only a broken ankle and a torn cruciate ligament temporarily halted his progress.
Prömel is expected to sign a contract with VfB Stuttgart until 2029 in his hometown soon. Both clubs are still battling for a Champions League spot in the final stretch of the season.
“Grischa was a leader on the pitch from the moment he arrived in Hoffenheim. He also had a very positive human impact on the team atmosphere. Even two serious injuries didn’t slow him down; instead, he always came back stronger and consistently led by example,” Schicker added.
