Borussia Dortmund are a team known for uncovering real football gems in the transfer market. Players like Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham, Ousmane Dembélé, and even Alexander Isak were all signed by the Black and Yellows. While there is still plenty of time for recent signings to develop into top caliber players, there is a disappointing trend that can be seen from Dortmund's transfer policy. The club seems to be signing older players, as evidence by the graph below.
Season | Average Age of Signings | Notable Youngster (U23) |
|---|---|---|
2024/25 | 26.4 | Beier (21) |
2023/24 | 27.25 | Nmecha (22) |
2022/23 | 25.11 | Adeyemi (20) |
2021/22 | 22.5 | Malen (22) |
2020/21 | 23.67 | Bellingham (17) |
2019/20 | 24 | Haaland (19) |
2018/19 | 24.83 | Diallo (22) |
2017/18 | 21.67 | Sancho (17) |
2016/17 | 21.67 | Dembélé (19) |
2015/16 | 24.75 | Weigl (19) |
2014/15 | 24.14 | Ginter (20) |
2013/14 | 23.5 | Jojic (21) |
2012/13 | 23.25 | Reus (23) |
The graph was made by calculating the average age of the permanent transfers in a season, according to Transfermarkt. Note that Svensson and Couto are set to complete their transfers in the upcoming window, even though they are already at the club on loan.
Since the 2012/13 season, the top three years in which BVB signed, the oldest players on average, have been the last three. This should be concerning for a club that is renowned for bringing young talent to the top levels of the sport. Hopefully the club will sign some more young talent this Summer, like Jobe Bellingham (19) and Luighi (19). The club is also linked with some older players, which would continue the trend. Robin Koch (28) and Ritsu Doan (26) play for other Bundesliga teams, and would surely be less exciting signings than the teenagers that Dortmund are linked with.
Some peope may be okay with the club signing older, more experienced players, but other top clubs in the league are not doing the same thing:
The table below shows the average age of signings by RB Leipzig and Eintracht Frankfurt- two clubs that have seemingly overtaken Dortmund as the best places for young stars in the Bundesliga. It also shows how many U21 players each club has signed in the past three seasons, which helps us see how each club is looking towards the future.
Season | Leipzig | Frankfurt | BVB |
|---|---|---|---|
2024/25 | 21.14 | 23.33 | 26.4 |
2023/24 | 23 | 21.44 | 27.25 |
2022/23 | 26.25 | 22.83 | 25.11 |
U21 Players signed | 7 | 18 | 3 |
The table above shows some disheartening data regarding our transfer policy compared to clubs of a similar stature. Dortmund have three of the four highest average age signings in a season. They also have considerably less U21 players signed then the other two clubs. Not only are these clubs signing young players, but they are giving them more minutes too!
In March, Transfermarkt released a list of the teams giving their U21 players the most minutes. Frankfurt and Leipzig both ranked top five in this list- Dortmund were not in the top 20.
The research and data collected does not show that Dortmund are going to do worse in the future than the other clubs, as there is a chance BVB finish above both Frankfurt and Leipzig this season. But it does point to a disapointing realization that the club may no longer be putting so much emphasis on signing future stars. Not signing Cherki in the past Winter window only compounded to the current situation, as his signing could have been another future star that made their name in the Westfalenstadion. Here is to hoping that this summer brings more youth into the squad that we all love!
**Please note that I did not include Marcel Lotka into my calculations for BVB because he has never played a first team game and probably never will as his contact ends this summer.**