Panic over. Serhou Guirassy is staying at Borussia Dortmund. The striker anxiety can be shelved for now.
His release clause has come and gone. It sat around €50m and only opened the door to seven elite clubs, as BVB Buzz noted when the clause was expiring. Not one of them bid. Even Fenerbahce, linked with him all summer, never tabled a thing.
So die Schwarzgelben keep their talisman, with Guirassy and Silva staying both now expected. Good news for the Yellow Wall. But it hands Fabio Silva a familiar role, and a familiar frustration.
Guirassy stays, and that's a boost
Let's be clear about the pecking order. Guirassy is the number nine, first pick, no argument.
The Guinea striker led the line last season and remains Kovac's reference point up top. He peels off the last defender, runs in behind and finishes with either foot or his head.
His clever movement drags markers around and frees up space for the wide men. Keeping him was the summer's clear priority.
Think about the alternative for a second. For a club chasing a Champions League run and a title tilt at Bayern, losing your main scorer in August would have hurt badly. That danger has passed. And with Karetsas feeding him, plus a move for El Mala brewing, the Guinea striker should see plenty of service this season.
Silva's chance to change minds
Spare a thought for Fabio Silva. The Portuguese forward arrived with a hefty price tag and hasn't yet justified it.
There were flickers in pre-season, mind. Silva struck the winner away at FC Tokyo, a moment BVB Buzz picked out among the tour's winners and losers. One goal in Japan won't leapfrog Guirassy, though.
Dortmund clearly rate the young forward. They blocked his exit in the winter and told his camp a move was out of the question. That faith needs repaying now.
His route is simple enough. Stay ready, take the minutes Guirassy can't cover, and pounce if the number nine leaves late in the window. Consistency is the missing piece. Behind the two of them, Dortmund are light on senior strikers, so those backup minutes count for plenty.
So the striker department looks settled at the top and unproven behind it. Guirassy holds the shirt. Silva has to earn a bigger slice of it.
Verdict: keeping Guirassy is a clear win for the Black and Yellows, and Fabio Silva stays the deputy for now.
Add us as a preferred source on Google