Borussia Dortmund’s Lars Ricken: The next generation is ready with us

Over the past few transfer windows, Borussia Dortmund has gone through substantial changes in personnel. Much of this change has come in terms of young talent, with the club seeing a large exodus of youngsters leave for pastures new for a variety of reasons.

Despite this exodus bringing in a healthy 20 million euros in terms of profit, Director of Sport Lars Ricken has noted a level of disappointment in their departures in a recent interview, but also reaffirmed the club’s commitment to making sure that the development of these young players in monitored, so that the door to first team football at Dortmund isn’t completely closed:

"Of course, it is a shame when talents who we have accompanied and trained at Borussia Dortmund for years leave. Each case always has its own reasons and behind each case is a weighing process. We will continue to monitor their development and in one or another case we will continue to have a hand on it."

- Lars Ricken

Despite this exodus, Ricken also cemented Dortmund’s commitment to youth players, citing this past summer as an example of how the club continues to prepare young players for the top flight:

"It is important for us to emphasize: The next generation is ready with us! In the summer, we deliberately made courageous decisions to firmly incorporate our own young players into the professional squad."

- Lars Ricken

The players in question, as Bild mentions, are Kjell Wätjen, Cole Campbell and Almugera Kabar, Filippo Mane, but also the likes of Julien Duranville and even Jamie Gittens. The latter two may have already been with the first team for some time (especially Gittens) but are still very young and looking to have breakout seasons, which they very much could have this campaign.

In seasons past, especially under Edin Terzić, it almost seemed as if the focus was shifting away from youth, with young players not really getting the expected amount of minutes. Under Ricken’s guidance, and especially with Nuri Şahin’s appointment, the tide has shifted back towards one of the club's most lauded core values; if you’re talented enough, then you’re old enough to play professionally.

There is certainly a balance that has to be struck between giving youngsters time on the pitch and safeguarding their development, but it takes a bold approach for youngsters to get substantial minutes to develop. The direction in which the club has chosen to go is, at least at face value, the right one, and bodes well for the academy becoming something for the club to be immensely proud of once again.