Sportfreunde Siegen have signed a new striker. In return, another attacker has been loaned to a league rival.

Sportfreunde Siegen has significantly strengthened its squad shortly before the transfer window closed. Paul-Philipp Besong will be on loan from third division club SSV Ulm until the end of the season.

“We are very pleased that, after weeks of preparation, the loan deal with SSV Ulm and Paul-Philipp Besong has come to fruition. Paul is a lightning-fast and technically skilled center forward who often played in the third division in the first half of the season, but now wants to regain his old strength with more playing time. He will certainly enrich our offensive play,” says Matthias Georg, managing director of Sportfreunde Siegen.

At just 25 years of age, Besong has already played 75 games in the 3rd division. His record for Erzgebirge Aue, Borussia Dortmund II, and Ulm: 13 goals and seven assists. In the current season, the versatile attacker mostly came off the bench: of his 18 appearances, only six were from the start (one goal, two assists). He was trained at Borussia Dortmund and 1. FC Nürnberg. “I had a good feeling right away during the talks and can’t wait to get started with the team,” said Besong about his transfer.

He replaces Josue Santo, who is being loaned to Wuppertaler SV. “Following the signing of Paul-Philipp Besong, it is very important to us that Santo gets enough playing time. We have great faith in his abilities and are delighted that he can now get started in Wuppertal for five months before returning to us in the summer.”

Sportfreunde Siegen are in fifth place with 33 points after 19 games following their promotion to the Regionalliga West. Last Saturday, Boris Schommers’ team kicked off the 2026 competitive season with a 2-0 win over FC Schalke 04’s second team. Next Sunday, they continue with a home game against 1. FC Köln II. By then, Besong may already be on the team.