Daniel-Kofi Kyereh closes a four-year chapter in Breisgau shaped more by the treatment table than the pitch but a late comeback with the reserve side reignites hope ahead of a defining summer.
The German club have chosen not to trigger the extension clause written into the 30-year-old’s deal, meaning the Ghanaian international will walk out of the Europa-Park Stadion as a free agent when the campaign concludes.
The announcement brings down the curtain on what proved to be one of the most injury-disrupted spells of any player in recent Bundesliga memory. Kyereh arrived on the Rhine in the summer of 2022 with a lot expectations with a breakout season at FC St. Pauli.
In his final year at St. Pauli, the Cologne-born midfielder contributed 13 goals and 11 assists across 32 league appearances. Freiburg moved decisively, parting with €4.5m to secure his signature.
His Bundesliga debut delivered precisely the kind of immediate impact supporters had hoped for. Coming off the bench against Union Berlin on 6 August 2022, Kyereh played his part in a commanding 4-1 home victory.
What followed was a chapter that no one inside the club, the player himself could have anticipated. On 9 February 2023, Kyereh suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament during a training session. The injury was devastating . It was the second time in his career that he had sustained the same injury, having previously ruptured the same ligament at the age of 19 while at TSV Havelse.
The road to recovery was long and far from straightforward. Freiburg confirmed that Kyereh continued much of his rehabilitation work in Barcelona,
Kyereh missed the remainder of the 2022/23 Bundesliga campaign, sat out the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire, and was absent as Freiburg navigated their Europa League campaign. Across his four years at the club, he managed just 18 senior appearances, scored twice, and registered a single assist.
A Farewell Marked by Warmth
Freiburg handled his departure with great respect, reflecting the club’s strong values. More than 8,000 fans attended his farewell ceremony, where Kyereh thanked supporters for standing by him during his recovery journey.
Still, I am happy about my time in Freiburg,” he told the crowd. “The team has always supported me, and recently I was taken aback by how the lads in the U23s welcomed me.”
Details of Kyereh at Freiburg
Joined SC Freiburg from FC St. Pauli in the summer of 2022 for a fee of €4.5 million
Tore his ACL in training on 9 February 2023,his second career ACL injury
Missed the 2023 AFCON in Côte d’Ivoire due to his injury layoff
Totalled 18 senior appearances, 2 goals and 1 assist for the club
Returned with U23s: 2 goals, 2 assists in 8 appearances in his comeback stint
Holds 18 caps for the Ghana national team
Becomes a free agent on 1 July 2026
Former Freiburg head coach Christian Streich who oversaw much of Kyereh’s time at the club once described him
as a player who makes football joyful.”