Former Barcelona forward makes Hertha Berlin switch

Martin Macdonald

• 23 Jun 2021 17:53 BST

Former Barcelona attacking midfielder Kevin Prince-Boateng has returned to Hertha Berlin for his second stint with the club.

Last season Boateng was with Serie B side Monza along with Mario Balotelli, but the pair were released after the club were unable to gain promotion to Serie A.

The 34-year-old is back for his fifth spell in the German Bundesliga, having played for Hertha previously as well as Borussia Dortmund, Schalke, and Eintracht Frankfurt.

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He came through the young ranks at Hertha and eventually debuted for the first team in the second fixture of the 2005/06 Bundesliga season.

After 14 years away, Boateng has returned, and sporting director Fredi Bobic says it was important the club brought back someone who was ingrained in the ethos of Hertha.

"Kevin-Prince Boateng knows Hertha, the Bundesliga and Berlin," Bobic explained.

"He won't need long to settle in. Prince's leadership qualities are a great addition to our team, both on and off the pitch. He has also proven his skills as a player at the highest level for several years.

"Overall, everything about this transfer is right

Boateng's nomadic career

Boateng would leave Hertha for Tottenham in 2007, and overall has played with 14 clubs in total.

In addition to the aforementioned clubs, he has had spells at Portsmouth, Genoa, Milan, Las Palmas, Sassuolo, Fiorentina and Besiktas.

In the middle of January 2019 he would complete a surprise high profile switch to Barcelona on loan until the end of the season.

The Blaugrana at the time were eager to acquire a backup for Luis Suarez after Munir El Haddadi was sold to Sevilla.

Boateng would only make five appearances for Barcelona.

After signing again for Hertha, he claimed it was always his intention to return to his first club.

"It's no secret that I'd always been eyeing a return to Hertha BSC," he admitted.

"The fact that it's finally worked out makes me very proud. I'm eager to get started, and to play in front of a sold-out Ostkurve at the Olympiastadion with the lads."

Despite having high expectations last season, Hertha finished just two points above the relegation playoff zone in the 2020/21 Bundesliga.