Sheraldo Becker joins Real Sociedad - Cheaper alternative to Gio Reyna?
It has been clear for weeks that Sheraldo Becker is going to leave Union Berlin in 2024. The only question was whether the transfer would take place in the winter or in the summer. Now we have clarity as the Surinamese forward has now officially joined Real Sociedad from the Bundesliga club. Union Berlin will receive up to €5 million for the striker, who could have left the club on a free transfer this upcoming summer.
"I will be forever grateful to Union,” said Becker in an Union Berlin club statement. “This is where I became who I am today. Together, we've achieved a lot in four and a half years that nobody would have thought we could. I will always be proud of that. Now it's time for me to move on, but the club and the people will always have a place in my heart."
Top 10: The most valuable Surinamese players
At La Real, the most valuable Surinamese player on the planet is supposed to replace Mohamed-Ali Cho. Cho left the LaLiga side for Ligue 1 club OGC Nice. Real Sociedad have also been linked with a potential move for Borussia Dortmund attacking midfielder Gio Reyna, but Becker will undoubtedly provide a much more cost-effective alternative for the Basque club. The decision for Real Sociedad and against Villarreal was made as the Yellow Submarine were banking on a free transfer in the summer—a scenario that Union Berlin wanted to avoid at all costs.
Union Berlin receives fee for Becker: Real Sociedad receive pacy forward
Although Becker will now leave for LaLiga for a fee far below his €12m market value, the €5m fee still constitutes a transfer profit. After all, Becker joined the club on a free transfer in 2019 from Dutch side ADO Den Haag. Furthermore, Union Berlin have received a transfer fee of €5m or more six times, the last time in January 2023 when the club sold Julian Ryerson to Dortmund. The only player with a higher market value than Becker at the time of his departure was Taiwo Awoniyi, who joined Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2022 (overview).
But what sort of player is Becker? The Surinamese national team player leaves Union Berlin after having scored 24 goals and 26 assists in 140 games across all competitions. In Becker, Union Berlin will lose a club legend; only club captain Christopher Trimmel and replacement keeper Jakob Busk have featured in every season since Union got promoted to the Bundesliga almost five years ago.
Indeed, Becker was one of the main reasons for Union Berlin to finish in the top four last season. A fast forward who is at his best when playing off a more physical no.9, Becker managed to score 11 goals and seven assists in 34 Bundesliga games last season—his most productive season in the Bundesliga thus far. Although not necessarily an impact player, there is a sense that Becker has reached his potential at Union and that a change of scenery has become necessary.
- Date of birth/Age:
- Feb 9, 1995 (29)
-
Nat.:
- Current club:
- Real Sociedad
- Contract until:
- Jun 30, 2026
- Position:
- Centre-Forward
- Market Value:
- €10.00m
- Total Market Value:
- €144.65m
- Competition:
- Bundesliga
- Position:
- 14.
- Manager:
- Nenad Bjelica
- Squad size:
- 25
- Latest Transfer:
- Yorbe Vertessen
- Total Market Value:
- €480.60m
- Competition:
- LaLiga
- Position:
- 6.
- Manager:
- Imanol Alguacil
- Squad size:
- 28
- Latest Transfer:
- Javi Galán
