Players who reunited with Borussia Dortmund after previously leaving

Nuri Sahin

First joined the club in 2001
left for Real Madrid in 2011
Returned to the club in 2013

“Our fans already know what my decision is” a freshly injured Nuri Sahin said after a late season match-up with SC Freiburg in 2011.

Looking back, it is fair to say that the fans in fact didn’t know. As evidenced by the outcry of large parts of the supporters when he announced that he would leave his childhood club for Spanish giants Real Madrid a few weeks later.

Almost no name is as connected to the Jürgen Klopp era as Nuri Sahin, but his way from Wunderkind to announcing his move to Madrid was rockier than most analysts would have expected in the early days of his career.

The future Turkish international joined the club at age 13 and rose to fame even before he kicked a ball for the senior team. After his sensational performances at the 2005 U-17s Euros in Italy, Sahin was on the radar of every big European club. Arsenal reportedly even had a bid worth three million euros rejected – which is even more remarkable considering the financial state of Borussia Dortmund at the time.

In 2005, Bert van Marwijk made Nuri Sahin the youngest Bundesliga player ever and soon afterwards he became the youngest player to score in a Bundesliga match. Going into his second season, it seemed like Dortmund could mould Sahin into a world-class midfielder much like Arsene Wenger did with Cesc Fàbregas at the same time.

But when van Marwijk had to leave, the trajectory of the Lüdenscheid-born strategist changed for the worse. New coach Thomas Doll made it clear that Sahin’s role would diminish in the 2008 season and critics would point towards his lack of athleticism and the fact that he rarely was a goal threat.

That summer he joined his former coach van Marwijk at Feyernood on loan to rejuvenate his career. After a successful campaign, he returned and Doll was gone. During pre-season it became clear that Jürgen Klopp – who was signed as Doll’s successor – was ready to give Sahin a chance.

It took him some time, but once he earned the gaffer’s trust, his confident grew and he took full advantage of his deeper role. With Sven Bender doing most of the dirty work, Sahin became the creative soul of the team and took on quarterback-like responsibility. All this culminated in the 2011 championship and his aforementioned to move to the Spanish capital.

In his lone season in La Liga, Sahin only appeared in four league matches, four clashes in the Champions League and two in the Copa del Rey. His time with José Mourinho ended when Madrid sent him out on loan to Liverpool. After just six months at Merseyside he returned to Dortmund. When reflecting on his time in Madrid, Sahin noted that he might not have the needed dog-eat-dog or elbow mentality which is needed to make in the glamorous but tough atmosphere of the Galáticos.

The reunification

After his return to the Westfalenstadion, Nuri Sahin was able to pick up more playing time than during his adventures abroad, but he never fully returned to his former glory as he was surpassed by Ilkay Gündogan. Joining Real Madrid and playing for José Mourinho was probably an experience of a lifetime yet you have to wonder how much longer Sahin would’ve played at his highest level had he just stayed in Dortmund.

There might be another return in the cards for Nuri Sahin as he has enjoyed a successful start to his coaching career at Antalyaspor and is still well liked and respected at every level in Dortmund. Maybe this time he takes the Xavi route?