Examining the elements of Borussia Dortmund’s proactive transfer approach

Changes in midfield and defence

A player like Emre Can has the ability to perform at the top level, but he’s been far too inconsistent and Salih Özcan has not provided strong enough competition. This is why Dortmund are in advanced talks with Pascal Groß, who fits a similar profile and can add quality to defensive midfield.

Having three prominent centre-backs last season brought out the best in both Nico Schlotterbeck and Mats Hummels, while Niklas Süle was resigned to the bench. Adding an additional high-profile centre-back in Waldemar Anton will help maintain this healthy competition for places. Anton was another case of Dortmund triggering a release clause for a player who would have undoubtedly found a transfer elsewhere. BVB were proactive in their approach. 

It’s worth noting that Niklas Süle has been taken off of BVB's transfer list, and Lars Ricken recently stated BVB will not be selling Karim Adeyemi this summer. In addition, back-up goalkeeper Alexander Meyer has signed a contract extension through 2026. He receives fairly low wages comparatively, but plays an important role as a consistent number two, stepping in when needed. There are few second-string goalkeepers who possess the same quality as Meyer, so tying him to a new contract was important. I think we can expect similar extensions offered this summer to players like Julian Ryerson, who is also on low wages.

Borussia Dortmund's shift in transfer approach

The days of purchasing a young wunderkinds to develop and sell for profit appear to be in the past. Christian Pulisic, Erling Haaland, and Jude Bellingham were never going to become BVB legends; they were there to gain experience, develop, and be sold for large profit. This summer’s approach is demonstrating a dedication to finding players entering their prime; it’s focusing on recruiting players with obvious quality rather than searching for players with the most potential.

Serhou Guirassy and Waldemar Anton are both 28 and coming off the best seasons of their careers. Pascal Groß is 33, a German International, and has experience playing in both Germany and England. Among the younger players who have been linked with a move to BVB this summer are Ferdi Kadıoğlu, 22, Rayan Cherki, 20, Yan Couto, 22, and Francisco Conceição, 20, among others. BVB are still hunting for young players, but they want individuals who have already exhibited their quality at the top level of football. 

The youngest players in Borussia Dortmund’s first-team this coming season will be the likes of Tom Rothe, Kjell Wätjen, Julien Duranville, and Paris Brunner. And Nuri Sahin has indicated his desire to incorporate these individuals into the squad. While Terzic demonstrated hesitancy in deploying his youngsters, Sahin seems eager to do so. We will find out in a few months how the youngsters progress.  

I’m trusting the process. While this summer’s transfer window is far from over, Borussia Dortmund have been proactive in their squad building and I anticipate several more signings before the window closes. Likewise, I think we can expect a few departures as well. Should any reasonable offers come to BVB, I believe they will be considered, barring any approaches for the aforementioned ‘safe,’ players.

There will still be some twists and turns in this window, but I’m more optimistic at this stage of the process than I was last summer. That’s because Borussia Dortmund are being proactive, and there seems to be a clear and deliberate plan for how Nuri Sahin, Sebastian Kehl, Lars Ricken, and co. want things to play out. Time will determine how successful this window is, but it has certainly started strong.