Borussia Dortmund's internal unrest linked to Rayan Cherki talks

Controversy has returned to Borussia Dortmund’s doorstep this week with the club once again at odds with Squad Planner Sven Mislintat. Mislintat has a history of difficult working relationships, particularly at Dortmund during his first stint.

The crux of the difficulties being experienced now however seem to be very similar in terms of those faced during his first stint, namely, with Mislintat overstepping his reach in his capacity as Squad Planner. The most recent divide seems to stem from actions taken both by Mislintat in terms of media appearances and differences regarding transfer targets.

Rayan Cherki is reportedly one of the players in particular that Mislintat himself had been pushing for the club to sign. The player has been an exciting young talent for Olympique Lyon and very much fits the profile of the type of player the club would be looking to bring in; young, talented, versatile and could command an enormous future sum should he choose to move on a few years down the line.

According to reports, head coach Nuri Şahin has put a stop to any potential move for Cherki, which further highlights the slightly turbulent state the club finds itself in. In the past, Mislintat has fallen out with head coaches at Dortmund based on differing opinions regarding transfers, with the case of Oliver Torres’ failed move to the Westfalenstadion when the club still played under Thomas Tuchel being a prime example of this. Mislintat, based on this and other complications, would be banned from first-team training, which put the gears of his first exit into motion.

While further reports claim that Mislintat’s job is not directly under threat, these squabbles were the foundation upon which his first exit came to fruition. While it is a shame that the club could not all see eye to eye regarding bringing in a player of Cherki’s quality, if the head coach has a vision for the club, then bringing a player he does not desire could create unnecessary friction and end up being a waste of transfer funds.

As for Cherki himself, the path now seems to lead to RB Leipzig. The club looks likely to make a move for the player should Dani Olmo leave for Barcelona. While the player is certainly one Dortmund may kick themselves for not signing, in a transition season where many changes are coming into play, internal stability is extremely important from a squad planning perspective; even more so perhaps than potential targets that may fall through due to differences in vision. One would hope that, in this vein, Mislintat would fall into line and help propel the club forward, and not throw a wrench in the gears of the club’s plans by overstepping the capacity of the role he finds himself in.