A 20-year-old striker loaned by Freiburg to Karlsruher SC, Louis Ben Farhat has reportedly decided to join the German federation, after two caps for Tunisia. Head coach Sabri Lamouchi considers the choice disrespectful.
According to Transfermarkt, Louis Ben Farhat, trained at Karlsruhe and loaned this season by SC Freiburg to the Baden club, has reportedly decided to join the German federation after playing for Tunisia’s youth teams. He has two caps for Tunisia’s senior side.
The player has also reportedly given up on playing at the World Cup in North America. His first call-up to the Germany U21 squad is expected during the next international break, again according to Transfermarkt. Tunisia head coach Sabri Lamouchi described the choice as “disrespectful”.
A season disrupted by injury
Ben Farhat missed four months of competition with a metatarsal fracture. Despite the injury, he scored 6 goals and provided 2 assists in 20 matches last season, again according to Transfermarkt. His market value has risen from €3m to €10m: only four German strikers aged 21 or under are worth more.
Freiburg signed him on transfer deadline day for €7.5m, leaving him on loan at Karlsruhe for the season.
This season he has played 4 league matches, made 2 starts and provided 1 assist. Karlsruhe are 9th with 5 points after four rounds.
Lamouchi raises his voice
Sabri Lamouchi described the choice as “disrespectful”, according to Transfermarkt, which also quotes the player’s explanation: an excessive workload.
Ben Farhat told Transfermarkt: “I’m very happy that my future is finally settled”. He says he sees Karlsruhe “as a second home” and wants to “give everything for Karlsruhe”.
His Karlsruhe captain, Wanitzek, defended him: “Joining Freiburg is a very smart solution, for all parties. For this boy, it was a difficult period, a stressful situation. But he did nothing wrong, he behaved very professionally and we are happy that he is staying with us,” he told Transfermarkt.
A German future still to be confirmed
The case does not confirm that the change of federation has been made official. Nor is the Germany U21 call-up confirmed: it is only expected during the next international break, according to Transfermarkt.
Germany U21 are due to travel to Latvia and Malta, then host Georgia in Euro qualifying. Those fixtures could be Ben Farhat’s first in that shirt, if his call-up goes through.
Karlsruher SC coach Maximilian Senft did not react in the material reported by Transfermarkt, and no statement from the Tunisian Football Federation appears in it.