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Miscommunications or lack of proactiveness: What’s hurting Borussia Dortmund’s transfer business?

By Eli Brand

AUGSBURG, GERMANY - MAY 21: Sebastian Kehl, Sporting Director of Borussia Dortmund, celebrates with Edin Terzic, Head Coach of Borussia Dortmund, after the team's victory in the Bundesliga match between FC Augsburg and Borussia Dortmund at WWK-Arena on May 21, 2023 in Augsburg, Germany. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images)
AUGSBURG, GERMANY - MAY 21: Sebastian Kehl, Sporting Director of Borussia Dortmund, celebrates with Edin Terzic, Head Coach of Borussia Dortmund, after the team's victory in the Bundesliga match between FC Augsburg and Borussia Dortmund at WWK-Arena on May 21, 2023 in Augsburg, Germany. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images) /
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Borussia Dortmund’s transfer window has certainly not gotten off to the best of starts, with a lack of reinforcements and speculation over miscommunications between head coach Edin Terzic and sporting director Sebastien Kehl over new signings.

With Terzic allegedly vetoing the Edson Alvarez transfer after personal terms had been agreed and the club going well over the initial rumored price for Felix Nmecha – along with fan protests over his signing – there has been much displeasure voiced this summer over Borussia Dortmund’s transfer business.

However, all this is not to say that the potential turmoil will ruin the transfer window for Borussia Dortmund. It is normal for fans to be stressed at this stage of summer if their club hasn’t made the necessary signings.

A look at the last transfer window

Borussia Dortmund were also in a similar situation last year, having lost Erling Haaland, Manuel Akanji and Axel Witsel. Those in charge had to replace a lot of first-team minutes and obviously the best young striker in the world.

The Black and Yellows made early moves in the transfer window, bringing in Niklas Süle on a free transfer and then signing Nico Schlotterbeck. Thus, by May 2, BVB had completely renewed the back-line prior to Marco Rose’s sacking. Two signings of this calibre happening that early in the window is unusual, but the club still showed great proactiveness, which is what seems to be missing this summer.

Even then, Borussia Dortmund had a positive net spend of over 60 million euros the summer before that facilitated a heavy early spend. This allowed the BVB bosses to add Karim Adeyemi early in the transfer window, which helped them cushion the blow of Haaland’s sale and gave them ample time to negotiate the transfer of Sebastien Haller.

All this is not to say that an early transfer is a better transfer. While last summer’s business in total was incredible, it was financed by the sales of Erling Haaland, Jadon Sancho, Manuel Akanji and multiple squad players. Based on what those in charge have been saying, the signings of Julian Ryerson and Julien Duranville were also made with this summer in mind. And that may also be affecting the club’s spending power this summer.