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After swapping England's South Coast for Hamburg, Leo Östigard and Viktor Gyökeres have become vital to St. Pauli. Arriving at the Millentor within one week of each other, the two Brighton loanees have gained invaluable experience in Germany's second division.
The pair have endeared themselves to supporters and become key players for manager Jos Luhukay. Only five players have made more appearances than central defender Östigard's 21, and he leads the team in both clearances (4.4) and blocks (1.1) per game. At the other end of the pitch, Gyökeres has scored six goals and assisted another three, each good for third-best in the squad.
Fan-favorite Östigard was described by one supporter as "the best central defender we've had in years." The young defender wears his heart on his sleeve and his displays of appreciation for the support have not gone unnoticed. After December's 3-1 victory over SV Wehen, Östigard kissed the badge on his shirt to great applause from the crowd.
He made sure to shout out the support in his post-match interview, saying, “I really like playing here in front of the many fans. I also want to show that, give something back to the followers. I really fell in love with the club and the environment.”
In another game in March, as he made his way to the sideline he stopped to kiss the famous St. Pauli skull and crossbones on the corner flag. Again, the fans showed their appreciation and afterwards he stated, "It's really great to play here. I fell in love with St. Pauli. I've grown stronger in the months here."
Gyökeres has also been enjoying life in Germany's second largest city, saying, "I need to learn German a little better, but otherwise I like it well and Hamburg is a nice city." The striker credited fellow Swede and new arrival Sebastian Ohlsson with helping him settle in the city.
St. Pauli recently completed the league double over heated city rivals HSV. Östigard shone in each of the 2-0 victories and, while Gyökeres had to settle for a place on the bench for each occasion, he was impressed by the spectacle. "It was a great performance from our team and a great atmosphere. It's unusual for me how important this derby is here," he said after the home victory in September.
While both of the young loanees are enjoying their time in Hamburg, the club hierarchy are realistic about the fact that their time together could be short.
“It is not easy to make a forecast. We can already imagine working with him longer. If Brighton is convinced of the goals and results of the lending business, we would certainly have very good chances," sporting director Andreas Bornemann said of Östigard. For his part, the Norwegian has said, “It's not in my hands, it's Brighton. I can already imagine staying here longer.”
Gyökeres made similar statements when questioned on his future, saying "I really like to play here. We will see how it goes in the summer."
He has apparently attracted interest from Malmo, the biggest club in his home country. Östigard, meanwhile, has drawn attention from Bordeaux of Ligue 1. Ex-HSV and Bordeaux player Jakob Friis-Hansen, currently a scout for the French side, praised him and said of Bordeaux, "We still need a strong stopper for the summer."
Alternatively, if Brighton end up getting relegated both could play a role in the Championship next season.
Despite enjoying their time in the brown and white of St. Pauli, both youngsters have their futures on the international stage to consider. Playing in the Championship or, even more so, Ligue 1, would improve their chances of appearing regularly for their countries compared to a mid-table side in the 2. Bundesliga. With soccer currently on hold around the globe, it remains to be seen what the future has in store for the two Seagulls loanees soaring in Germany at present.
