Borussia Dortmund have waved goodbye to 21-year-old defender Soumaïla Coulibaly, who has secured a permanent transfer to Racing Strasbourg Alsace, ending a five-year journey with BVB.
The French centre-back, pulled from Paris Saint-Germain’s youth ranks in 2021 without a fee, earns Dortmund a reported €7.5 million, with up to €1 million in possible add-ons, marking a savvy financial move despite minimal impact on the pitch.
Coulibaly’s time at Dortmund flickered with some potential but dimmed under injury setbacks, yielding just two first-team outings. His loans to Royal Antwerp and Stade Brestois, where he logged eight Champions League appearances, enabled a decent run of games, yet he remained on the sidelines during Dortmund’s recent FIFA Club World Cup run.
Now, with a five-year contract until 2029, he returns to France to fortify Strasbourg’s backline. Coulibaly’s transfer aligns with Dortmund’s model of scouting young talent and, at this point, trimming surplus, a subtle step post-Club World Cup. This modest gain potentially aids Lars Ricken and Sebastian Kehl in fine-tuning a cohesive squad for the Bundesliga’s August kickoff.
As Dortmund prepare to honor Mats Hummels against Juventus Turin, Coulibaly’s €7.5m sale bolsters the alleged €65m from Jamie Gittens’ Chelsea transfer and at least €33.8m from Club World Cup progress, fortifying funds for additional singings in this summer window.
Small market Strasbourg, bolstered by BlueCo’s backing, gains a young defender with European exposure, while Dortmund’s gaze turns to new recruits to fuel Niko Kovač’s ambitions.
As BVB supporters anxiously await additional signings, with a number 10 seemingly the most popular choice, Coulibaly’s departure quietly helps streamline the squad, priming Dortmund for a more formidable posture as they enter impending negotiations.