Borussia Dortmund has historically been the team that Bayern Munich competes with the most for Bundesliga titles. However, Dortmund are currently fourth in the division, and nine points behind the leaders, Bayern.
Niko Kovac has done a good job since taking over the Black and Yellow earlier this season. However, he will need to be ruthless in letting go of some great servants of the club. Here are three Dortmund players who are now expendable.
3 Borussia Dortmund players who are now expendable
Niklas Süle
It is often Bayern pinching Dortmund's players; Robert Lewandowski, Mario Gotze, and Mats Hummels all made the move to the Bavarian side. However, Süle went the other way. He began his career at Hoffenheim before winning five Bundesliga titles and the Champions League with Bayern.
His silverware collection has dried up since he moved to Dortmund, as he has only added a Champions League runner-up medal to it. Süle is now 30 and is injury-prone. This season, he has suffered muscle and toe injuries, which have meant he has made just one Bundesliga appearance for the Black and Yellow.
Süle's contract expires at the end of the season, and he is currently being linked with a move to the Turkish side, Fenerbahçe. The Super Lig team already has notable names in its roster, including Edson Alvarez, Jhon Duran, and Fred.
Emre Can
Emre Can is Dortmund's club captain, but he has only recently returned from an abductor problem. He is also now 31, and his contract expires at the end of the campaign. The midfielder has been linked with a move to Qarabağ, who have been the surprise package in the Champions League this season.
Can will likely play an important role for Dortmund in the second half of the season. His leadership and versatility will make him a great option for Kovac. However, it is unlikely that his stay at Dortmund will be extended.
The former Germany international has seen a lot in his career. He was part of a Liverpool side that was a perennial underachiever. He never won a trophy with the Reds, but got to the final of the Champions League, Europa League, and League Cup. However, he did win two Serie A titles with Juventus, and the Bundesliga and Champions League with Bayern.
Salih Özcan
Salih Özcan was sent on loan to Wolfsburg last season, but he only made 11 Bundesliga appearances for them. Since returning to Dortmund, the Turkey international has been used just four times in all competitions. He has also not been included in Kovac's side for the Champions League.
Özcan started his career with FC Köln, with whom he has been linked with returning to. Other options for the midfielder include the top Turkish sides, including Besiktas, Galatasaray, and Fenerbahce. Özcan is only 27, so he should still be a great asset to a Super Lig team.
He was born in Cologne and represented Germany up to the U21 level. However, he is of Turkish descent, and that is how he qualified to play for them. Therefore, it would be fitting for him to play for one of the best teams in Turkey.
The midfielder remains a key part of the Turkish national team. He has 27 caps and scored his first goal for them in their recent 2-2 draw with Spain in World Cup qualifiers. Turkey finished second to Spain in Group E, which meant that they advanced to the second round of the playoffs. It would help if Özcan could start playing regularly at club level if he can make sure his country makes it to the tournament in North America next summer.