Coach move tops Machineseeker EHF Champions League transfer rankings

We tried to pick the five biggest and most important transfers in the competition and rank them — but it was no easy task, and there might be a surprise among them.

5. Magnus Rød — Kolstad to Szeged

In the end, the return to Norway was a short-term one for Magnus Rød. The left hander, who played for Flensburg-Handewitt from 2017 to 2023, transferred to Kolstad last summer. But the 27-year-old could not say no to another move, and will now discover the Hungarian League for the first time in his career.

Despite suffering a couple of injuries last season, which left him able to play only six games in the Machineseeker EHF Champions League, Rød found the time to deliver some stunning performances. He scored 12 goals in the Norwegian club’s win against Paris Saint-Germain. His potential remains unreached and, for sure, Rød will be one of the players to watch in Hungary next season.

4. Mitja Janc — Celje to Plock

Mitja Janc was one of the sensations of the Machineseeker EHF Champions League 2023/24. The Slovenian left back came out with a bang in his second proper season in the competition. After netting 16 times in 2022/23, Janc scored 87 times in the group phase with Celje last year. 

And while some may reach these tallies by delivering five exceptional performances and 10 lacklustre ones, the 21-year-old did something completely different: He only reached the 10-goal mark once in the season, and only fell below the five-goal mark twice, proving his consistency and his ability to play at a very high level all season long. 

Xavi Sabate is known for his ability to polish raw diamonds at Plock, and the Spanish coach has just welcomed the latest.

3. Nicolas Tournat — Kielce to Nantes

An outsider can probably not imagine the roar of the fans in H Arena when Nicolas Tournat was introduced after the last game of the 2023/24 season. After four years playing for Kielce, the France line player had just announced he would be making a comeback to the club of his heart, where his entire club handball career prior to moving to Poland was written. 

Having just turned 30, Tournat has become one of the players that count in the Machineseeker EHF Champions League. While he lacked some defensive skills when he left France, he comes back from Kielce a much more complete player — one that can change the course of a game at both ends of the court. With Tournat within their ranks, Nantes become an even more serious contender in the competition.

2. Yahia Omar — Veszprém to PSG

Back in 2019, Yahia Omar was the first in a wave of new-generation Egyptian players to move to Europe. Soon after, most of the top powerhouses across the continent were converted, as they saw that the left hander was definitely able to play a role in the EHF Champions League. Since then, Ali Zein won the trophy with Barça, Veszprém signed Yehia Elderaa, Montpellier welcomed Ahmed Hesham, and Hassan Kaddah moved to Kielce. 

Following five years at Veszprém, Omar made the decision to move to Paris. After suffering a tough knee injury at the end of 2022, the left hander came back to his best level, scoring 38 goals in the EHF Champions League last season. This might have been his second least-prolific European season in terms of goals scored but, now back at full speed, Omar will be an amazing asset for Paris in their quest for their first EHF Champions League trophy.

1. Xavi Pascual — Dinamo Bucuresti to Veszprém

Xavi Pascual is one of the few technicians who can change the face of a handball team. With Barça, he won the EHF Champions League three times, in 2011, 2015 and 2021, before moving to Bucharest ahead of the 2021/22 season. 

Not only did Pascual win at Barcelona — he shaped a generation of incredible players, from Dika Mem to Rodrigo Corrales to Aleix Gomez. 

After building some strong foundations that should help Dinamo Bucuresti in the near-future, Pascual could not resist Veszprém’s call. There, he will again meet some of his former players, such as Luka Cindric and Ludovic Fabregas, and will be at the wheel of one of the most powerful Veszprém teams ever. 

Sure, the pressure for him to win the Champions League title will be big, but Pascual has proved over the years that he is not one to be affected. Only time will tell if his influence can finally lead Veszprém to the trophy.

Photos: Dinamo Bucuresti (main), Ida/TittMelhuus, Roland Peka, Kielce (in-text)