Sebastian Kehl: Dan-Axel Zagadou an important player for Borussia Dortmund

Sebastian Kehl has said that Dan-Axel Zagadou remains an important player for Borussia Dortmund as the defender closes in on his return from injury.

Dan-Axel Zagadou underwent surgery on his injured knee in March and has been out of action ever since. But he is now closing in on his return to training, and will slowly be integrated into team training in the coming weeks.

Zagadou has endured a difficult few years, with injuries limiting his progress at Borussia Dortmund. According to Transfermarkt, the Frenchman has missed a total of 77 games due to injuries since joining BVB from Paris St. Germain in 2017.

Despite his injury woes, Zagadou is rated very highly by the BVB bosses. Sebastian Kehl told Ruhr Nachrichten on Saturday that the 22 year old is an important player for the Black and Yellows when fit. “He’s had unbelievable bad luck with injuries, but he knows he’s an important player for us when he’s healthy,” Kehl said.

Zagadou has less than one year left on his contract, but Borussia Dortmund would like to keep him in the squad for the long-term. This is being reported by Ruhr Nachrichten, who add that there is belief that he could become a cornerstone of the team for years to come.

The newspaper also adds that initial contact over a new contract for Zagadou took place some time ago. Talks were postponed then, but they will resume in the coming months.

Zagadou said in July that he is very happy at Borussia Dortmund and can imagine extending his contract with the club. But first and foremost, the hope for both the club and the player will be that he can stay injury free for a long period of time