Borussia Dortmund's managing director Lars Ricken has voiced against the Premier League for 'copying' Bundesliga's business model of developing young players.
The English top-flight remains the richest and the most popular European league, coveted by players around the world.
Every year, many clubs plying their trade in the division spend large chunks of money in strengthening their squad, with valuations tallying over a billion.
In a recent interview with German news outlet BILD, Ricken drew a contrast between the transfer policies of the Premier League and Bundesliga.
""I don’t feel like complaining about what isn’t working. Yes, the English spend several billion, whereas we in the Bundesliga don’t even spend one.""said Ricken
His assessment isn't unfounded though, with most clubs in the Bundesliga rarely spending even over a 100 million euros in one transfer window.
Clubs like Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen, Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig are among the sides with a stellar reputation for developing young talents.
Ricken feels their model of producing promising players has inspired Premier League to follow suit too.
""And the English have copied our business model of developing young players and identifying them at a very early stage. But that shouldn’t hold us back. We want to strengthen the squad to further narrow the gap on Bayern.""added Ricken
On replacing Brandt
Borussia Dortmund have confirmed that Julian Brandt will be leaving the club at the end of the 2025-26 season, drawing curtains on his seven-year long spell with the side.
Over the years, he's cemented his place among the league's best midfielders with his talismanic displays for the Black and Yellows.
Ricken acknowledges that the German international's departure is set to leave a massive void in their squad but affirmed that Dortmund is looking for someone who can fill the shoes.
""We will have to make up for Julian Brandt’s creativity and numbers in goals and assists; we were well aware of that when we made our decision. Naturally, we are looking for an attacking player who brings quality to the team, can make an immediate impact and does not command an exorbitant transfer fee.""said Ricken
Since joining in 2019, Brandt has made 301 appearances for Dortmund, including 212 in the Bundesliga. He's also bagged 57 goals and made a further 69 assists, which is remarkable for a midfielder.
However, his only piece of silverware with the club has come in the DFB-Pokal as Dortmund won the 2020-21 edition, while also picking up a runners-up medal in the 2024 Champions League final.