Although there has been an improvement in results and performances since the international break — where Borussia Dortmund dispatched of Mainz and Freiburg — there has still been adversity for the club to deal with, such as the news that Nico Schlotterbeck is set to miss the rest of the season with an injury.
Some more frustrating news has come to light this week, with German journalist Florian Plettenberg reporting that Dortmund winger Jamie Gittens wants to leave the club this summer.
As per the report, the club has been made aware of the player's desire to move, and internally, they expect the player to move on this summer. He states that FC Bayern still have the player 'on their list', whilst there is a market for Gittens in England, with a move back to the Premier League appealing to the young Brit.
Technically, a move to England would not be a 'return,' considering he had never played for the Manchester City first team when leaving for Dortmund in 2022. It's similar to how Jude Bellingham wouldn't have returned to the Premier League had he gone there from Dortmund in 2023, given that he had only played in the Championship.
Nevertheless, you know what Plettenberg means, and it doesn't feel surprising that a move back home appeals to him. However, if any England manager selected a Bundesliga player, it would be Thomas Tuchel. Gittens probably feels like playing in England will help his attempts to make the 2026 World Cup squad.
So far this season, Gittens has scored eight goals, provided three assists, and created six big chances in 1647 Bundesliga minutes, which equates to just over 18 complete games. These are pretty good numbers, despite a drop in form in 2025. In addition, his 2.7 dribbbles per game can only be bettered by Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala of any player in the German top flight.
The 20-year-old has been a victim of the move to a back-three formation since the international break but managed to grab a goal off the bench in the win over Freiburg, heading home a Julian Ryerson cross after good work from Pascal Groß.
Let's see what happens, but Jamie Gittens definitely won't be short on suitors. No doubt the club would much rather he went to the Premier League than to a rival in Bayern Münich.