Alen Halilovic impressed on loan at Sporting Gijón last season, and there was some expectation that the young Croatian would return to Barcelona to break out into the first team and show all of his amazing potential. Then he was inexpicably sold to the Bundesliga for just €5 million and joined Hamburg, although Barça did keep a buy-back clause on the Croatian.
Playing in the first division of a different league was certain to help Halilovic in his development as a player, but as it turns out, he didn't play. At all. He struggled to get into the first team, and was out of the bench for most of Hamburg's matches lately.