Union Berlin have officially confirmed the permanent transfer of highly-rated German striker Ilyas Ansah to Premier League newcomers Hull City. The 21-year-old has signed a long-term contract with the English club through June 30, 2031, bringing his time in Köpenick to an end after only one Bundesliga season. The transfer represents an extraordinary piece of business for the Bundesliga outfit.
Kicker reports that Hull will pay an initial €17m fee, with the overall value of the deal capable of rising to approximately €21m. Sky Germany places the total package even higher at more than €24m. Either figure represents a remarkable return on a player Union purchased from SC Paderborn for approximately €4m last summer.
Should the higher payments materialize, Ansah will surpass Taiwo Awoniyi’s €20.5m move to Nottingham Forest in 2022 as the most lucrative sale in Union Berlin history.
Union transform €4m investment into enormous profit
Ansah arrived in Köpenick as one of several attacking reinforcements during Union’s 2025 summer rebuild. The former Paderborn attacker arrived following a productive 2. Bundesliga campaign in which his pace, physicality and directness had established him as one of Germany’s more intriguing young forwards.
The Bundesliga campaign transformed his reputation almost immediately.
Ansah scored twice against VfB Stuttgart on his first Bundesliga start for Union, becoming the first player in club history to register a brace on his starting-XI debut. Both goals came through outstanding individual finishes from distance.
His remarkable start continued.
Ansah scored four times across Union’s opening four league matchdays and subsequently earned increased recognition at Germany U21 level. By the winter break, the striker had five Bundesliga goals and had become one of Union’s most successful summer investments.
Get German Football News described Ansah’s emergence as “dreamlike” in our January 2026 Union transfer assessment, with his pace, unpredictability and capacity to manufacture spectacular goals giving Union an attacking dimension they had previously lacked.
His production slowed considerably during the second half of the campaign.
Ansah nevertheless finished his first Bundesliga season with five goals from 33 league appearances and accumulated 37 competitive appearances across all competitions during his year in Berlin. His market value also rose dramatically, reaching an estimated €12m.
Ansah remained central to Lustrinelli plans
Despite his second-half scoring drought, Ansah remained an important player heading into the new campaign. GGFN’s 2026/27 Union Berlin tactical preview continued to identify Ansah as one of the more intriguing pieces available to new head coach Mauro Lustrinelli.
The Swiss trainer used Ansah both as one of two center-forwards and in one of the two advanced attacking-midfield positions within his 4-2-2 setup. Ansah remained a starter and was still fully involved immediately before completing his transfer.
He played the full 90 minutes in Union’s 4-2 DFB-Pokal victory over Eintracht Braunschweig. Hull’s offer nevertheless proved too attractive for both player and club to reject. Having already said goodbye to his teammates, Ansah was not in Union’s matchday squad for the Bundesliga opener against Frankfurt.
Statements on Ilyas Ansah’s Union departure
“Probably every little boy dreams of one day being able to play professionally in the Premier League,” Ansah said in Union’s official announcement. “That was certainly the case for me, so I am all the happier that I now have the opportunity to fulfil this dream. I thank Union, those responsible and above all the fans for an incredible year in which probably more happened than at other clubs in five years.”
Union managing director for professional football Horst Heldt also explained why the club ultimately sanctioned the move.
“The interest from England and Hull City’s offer were very attractive both for the player and for us as a club,” Heldt said. “After constructive discussions with everyone involved, we therefore jointly decided to accommodate his wish to move to the Premier League.”
