In his long farewell message, broadcast on social media, thanks took up most of the space.

Serdar Dursun didn't forget Dirk Schuster, his first of three coaches in his three “lily” years.

Dursun still gives the Saxon credit for putting him in the starting line-up four days after signing in 2018 in the first game of the season.

The attacker promptly scored a goal - and in the following three second division years for SV Darmstadt 98, another 58 followed.

It was certain since mid-May that the German-Turk would not stay at the Böllenfalltor after his contract expired and won the top scorer cannon with 27 goals this season.

It is now clear where Dursun will hunt for goals in the future.

And not in this country, as recently suggested by the interest of Union Berlin, Hamburger SV and probably also Werder Bremen (with the former SVD coach Markus Anfang), but on the Bosphorus.

Dursun has signed on with top club Fenerbahce Istanbul and received a three-year contract with an option for a fourth season.

Pictures from the signing of the contract show the native of Hamburg smiling proudly in front of the flags of the club and Turkey.

A sporty accolade

A commitment to the renowned Fenerbahce club is tantamount to a sporting accolade for Turkish players. The former German international Mesut Özil has also been playing there for six months and could soon put Dursun in the limelight with his passports. With the change from the soccer province of southern Hesse to the brightly lit Istanbul club, Dursun made a big leap. One motive for Dursun's decision to turn his back on Germany will be the hope that he will be better recommended for the national team there in Turkey.

He had already hoped to participate in the current European championships, but was not invited. “Of course I'm 29, but I'm a late starter. I'm not finished yet, ”said Dursun recently in Darmstadt. Especially since he knows Turkish football from rather joyless years, when he found a rather poor sporting livelihood with lower-class clubs there. Via Greuther Fürth, Dursun finally landed with the "Lilien", who now lead him to third place on the club's all-time goalscorer list.

Now it is up to the people of Darmstadt to find a replacement. The new coach Torsten Lieberknecht was confident. "We will have a strong team again," said the coach at his introduction. Meanwhile, last year's regular in SVD central defense Immanuel Höhn has joined league competitor SV Sandhausen. His contract with the "Lilien" had also expired.