Borussia Dortmund's hectic summer continued with yet another (shrewd) piece of business as Almugera Kabar has joined Dutch side NEC Nijmegen on loan.
The 20-year-old will be spending the 2026-27 season with the Eredivisie side, who albeit don't have the option of buying him permanently next summer.
Having come through the ranks at Dortmund's youth academy, Kabar saw first-team opportunities with the side limited since breaking into the senior team two years ago.
With just six top-flight appearances under his belt, his future had been uncertain and while Niko Kovac played him a few times during this preseason, Kabar wasn't likely to get consistent gametime.
In comes Nijmegen. The NEC, who achieved a third-place finish in the Dutch top-flight last season, have a talented player in their ranks with proven record at youth levels.
Here are three reasons why this loan move is a good one for both, him and Dortmund:
1) Finally some regular first-team football
It's obvious, yes, but important, nonetheless. Almugera Kabar has reached a point in his career where only youth appearances aren't enough. For his talent to prosper, he needs regular playing time at the top-flight level and NEC can provide exactly that.
With Thomas Ouwejan being the only natural left-back in the squad, the Dutch side now get another exciting prospect in that position; one that could give them a new attacking dimension as Kabar is known for his overlapping runs from the half-spaces.
2) A suitable environment to develop
NEC Nijmegen aren't the most formidable outfit in Europe, but have an envious track record of developing young talents. The club boasts a suitable environment to foster young talents from home and abroad and the Goffertstadion outfit might just be the launchpad that Kabar needs right now.
Moreover, courtesy of a third-place finish in the 2025-26 Eredivisie season, Dick Schreuder's side will be competing in the UEFA Champions League qualifiers. So there's the added bonus of some crucial European exposure for him too.
3) Dortmund retain control of Kabar's future
Since there's no option for NEC to purchase Kabar permanently at the end of the loan term, Borussia Dortmund will have the final say over his future. The player's contract with the club runs until June 2027, giving them the leverage here.
If the loan move doesn't work out as expected, the club would retain the choice of bringing him back next summer and can reassess his situation. So while Kabar gets some much-needed action on the field, Dortmund would continue to hold the string over his long-term future.
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