The summer has only just begun and the new line-ups for next season’s EHL clubs are beginning to take shape with plenty of big players on the move. Here’s a look at some of the transfers that clubs have already announced.
Men
New Belgian champions Waterloo Ducks have strengthened with French forward Xavier Esmenjaud making the move from Herakles, Jérémy Wilbers comes back after a year with Club de Campo in Spain and Lautaro Domene arrives from Orée. On the flip side, Victor Wegnez switches to KHC Dragons next season.
Orée will have a much-changed side for their EHL debut with Vincent Vanasch (Royal Léopold), Lautaro Domene (WatDucks), Dorian Thiéry (Racing Club de Bruxelles), Hugo Labouchère (Pinoké), Luca Masso and Philippe Simar among the departures.
Coming in are Pingouin quartet Larry Fauchey, Edouard Cambier, Raul Thibaut de Maisières and Pierre de Gratie as well as Victor Saint Martin from Uccle and Guerlain Hawaux form Beerschot.
For Braxgata, Loic Van Doren comes in to replace the retired Pirmin Blaak while Red Lions striker Thomas Crols replaces Olivier Biekens who is on his way to AH&BC Amsterdam.
In the Netherlands, Oranje-Rood have signed Victor Foubert from KHC Dragons while Jaïr van der Horst returns to the club; Gijs van Merriënboer steps away from the side.
AH&BC Amsterdam have been very active already to replace Lee Morton, Karst Timmer and Robbert Kemperman with Duco Telgenkamp (SV Kampong), Tom Sorsby (Den Bosch) and Biekens (Braxgata) already announced.
Rotterdam’s business to date has seen Marc Recasens and Dylan Lucieer move on with French Olympian Brieuc Delemazure arrive.
CAM92 have seen young star Louis Haertelmeyer go to Daring in Belgium while Lille talent Malo Martinache is going to Gantoise. Surbiton will make do without the services of Conor Williamson who will play next term with HC Bloemendaal.
Women
For EHL holders SCHC, there are plenty of changes. They will first have to cope with the retirement of Xan de Waard as well as Famke Richardson while Elodie Picard returns to her homeland with KHC Leuven.
Going the other way, they have signed Camille Belis and Louise Dewaet from Braxgata while Phileine Hazen arrives form Bloemendaal and Sophie Schelfhout joins from Hurley.
Dutch champions AH&BC Amsterdam have snapped up youngsters Yara Akkerman and Roos Alkemade with Sabine Plönissen stopping her top hockey career while Chinese star Li Hong will also move on.
On the German scene, Mannheimer HC have augmented their panel with Australian Alica Arnott, Laura Bosch from Junior FC and Dutch player Iris Langejans.
For Gantoise’s women, they have announced the arrival of Argentina international Vicki Granatto to the club along with Emilie Verhees from Antwerp while Mercedes Pastor, Hannah McLoughlin and Victoria Manuele will move on.
Dragons, meanwhile, welcome New Zealand star Hannah Cotter while Stephanie De Groof has retired and Jimena Cedres will return to Argentina.
