Borussia Mönchengladbach Vice President Rainer Bonhof dispels rumors linking Marco Reus with a return to the club.
While we're still not approaching the end of the season by any measure, the conclusion of the 2023/34 season will see Borussia Dortmund have quite a few personnel decisions to make regarding a substantial portion of their current players. In addition to the players already firmly expected to leave (Thomas Meunier, Marius Wolf, and Mateu Morey), the futures of both Mats Hummels and Marco Reus are big question marks for next season.
Reus in particular has been linked with a possible departure, with reports stating that the club don’t plan to extend his contract. A possible suggested destination for Reus has been Borussia Mönchengladbach, the club Reus played for before coming home to Dortmund.
Gladbach’s Vice President, Rainer Bonhof has now definitively poured cold water on this rumor in an interview with Bild, stating that a move for Reus wouldn’t fit in with the clubs current plans or trajectory:
"I think we would then work counterproductively. I have respect for Marco, both athletic and human. But we would then leave our newly taken path again. We should remain true to our line."
- Rainer Bonhof
The thought that Dortmund could possibly not offer their former captain a contract extension is rather ludicrous to discuss - both in terms of the player’s overall impact on the club and his continued ability to play a role on the pitch. Dortmund Sporting Director Sebastian Kehl also commented on Reus’ contract situation, stating that discussion have yet to take place, but will be had in due time:
"Marco is of course a fantastic player for Borussia Dortmund. We conducted the conversations with Marco and also with Mats very trustfully last year and that is exactly what we will do again in this form. We will sit down in due course, look into each other's eyes and think about how to proceed."
- Sebastian Kehl
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Kehl’s comments remain intentionally neutral in stance, but they also seem to indicate a sense of calm from all parties regarding the situation. For Reus in particular, retiring at Dortmund would be the only sensible end to a career focused on staying loyal to his boyhood club, and it should be the club’s prerogative to make this come to fruition.