Opinion: Evaluating a move to Borussia Dortmund for Real Madrid’s Sergio Arribas

Does signing Sergio Arribas make sense from a Borussia Dortmund perspective?

From a Borussia Dortmund perspective, it is going to be a summer of rebuilding their deeper midfield. Replacing the outgoing Mahmoud Dahoud and Jude Bellingham is a mighty task and funds may be prioritised there and in the pursuit of a more defensive recruitment to complement the recent signing of Felix Nmecha.

The options available to Terzic from an attacking standpoint may put any offensive targets on the backburner for now. Gio Reyna, who plays in a similar role to Arribas, will be looking for more minutes. Marcos Reus and Julian Brandt would also be ahead of Arribas in the number ten role.

Similarly on the wing, Donyel Malen, Karim Adeyemi, Jamie Bynoe-Gittens and Julien Duranville would be the main competition. In that sense, moving for Sergio Arribas would be a luxury and not a necessity for Borussia Dortmund.

A more immediate concern would be the physicality of the Bundesliga. A brief taste of La Liga football would not have accustomed Arribas to the physicality of a top five league – something La Liga is perceived to lack. Neither would the technicality or pace of playing regularly in a top league as of yet, given that Arribas has spent his early years of development in Spain’s third tier.

“Zidane told my son ‘you’re going to get there, for sure’,”. These were the words of Arribas’ father earlier this year, quoting a promise of the legendary Frenchman’s which is currently unfulfilled. Perhaps this summer – and his choices – will indicate whether Sergio Arribas is indeed destined for great things over the next few years.