At Borussia Dortmund there is a major upheaval in the coming summer. There could be large-scale changes in several parts of the team, some players are about to bounce. SPOX analyzes what could happen at BVB after the end of the current season in terms of transfers.
TOR: Will Gregor Kobel open a construction site for BVB?
With Gregor Kobel, BVB has strengthened itself very well in the goalkeeper position over the past year. The Swiss proved to be the hoped-for strong support for the Black and Yellows, time and time again he secured important points for BVB.
Equipped with a working paper until 2026, there should not be any major worries in Dortmund about the occupation between the posts. Actually. Because according to information from table football FC Bayern put out feelers to Kobel. The Munich team could therefore imagine installing the 25-year-old as the new number one of the future, since both Manuel Neuer and winter newcomer Yann Sommer are already in the (late) autumn of their careers.
“I have no idea where these rumors come from. I have never commented on the performance and the player Gregor Kobel,” Bayern CEO Oliver Kahn recently denied the rumours. One thing is clear: BVB would only consider signing a new keeper if Kobel were to leave. If he stays in Dortmund, he will also go into the 2023/24 season as the undisputed number one in the summer.
The situation is much clearer behind the Swiss goalkeeper. Alexander Meyer proved to be a solid backup in the few games he had to fill in for Kobel, who had been injured in the meantime. With Luca Unbehaun and Marcel Lotka, you also have two young candidates up your sleeve. The latter proved last year at Berlin’s Hertha that he has what it takes for the Bundesliga.
DEFENSE: A major upheaval is imminent
There are several construction sites in Dortmund’s defense. A major upheaval could be imminent in the summer, especially in the full-back positions. Raphael Guerreiro’s contract expires at the end of June, and the Portuguese is unlikely to renew his contract. According to Ruhr news According to prospective talks between the two parties in December, no agreement was reached, and Guerreiro apparently wants to fulfill his dream of a new challenge.
The situation is similar for Thomas Meunier and Nico Schulz. Although both have a year longer contract than the Portuguese (until 2024) and would therefore not simply be able to leave the club in the summer, they probably no longer have a future in Dortmund.
While Meunier is being ensnared by FC Barcelona, Schulz has been on Dortmund’s hit list for a long time. In his four years at BVB, the ex-national player was never able to convince. If a reasonable offer comes along, no obstacles will be put in his way.
Another player who no longer plays a role at BVB under coach Edin Terzic is Felix Passlack. His contract also expires in the summer, and a continuation of the collaboration is ruled out.
Should there actually be three or four departures to the defensive wing, BVB will of course have to do more. They have already strengthened themselves with Julian Ryerson from Bundesliga competitor Union Berlin, and this should be followed up next summer. In particular, Iván Fresneda (Real Valladolid) and Ramy Bensebaini from Borussia Mönchengladbach are in conversation.
BVB: Ramy Bensebaini and Iván Fresneda hot candidates
At Fresneda, local media from Valladolid are already reporting that the parties have reached an agreement. BVB is apparently paying a transfer fee of 15 million euros (10 million euros fixed, 5 million euros in bonuses) to the Spaniards this winter, and Fresneda is to be loaned out to the La Liga club by next summer.
Bensebaini has long been said to want to join BVB in the summer. Here, too, Dortmund would not have to pay a transfer fee to Gladbach due to the expiring contract, the negotiations between the player and BMG are considered to have failed anyway. Bensebaini is considered Dortmund’s ideal solution.
The situation in central defense is more relaxed. There you only have to deal with the expiring contract of veteran Mats Hummels. Sports director Sebastian Kehl left a decision in this regard open, and we would only talk to him in the coming weeks.
“I spoke extensively with Mats – also with his dad. He’s very relaxed about it. He announced a few weeks ago that he wants to see it himself first. That’s also a position. In the end, the boys want it of course also decide for themselves to what extent they want to continue and whether they want to continue. All of these are issues that we have to tackle in the coming weeks and months,” said Kehl.
MIDFELD: Everything is waiting for Jude Bellingham
It will be one of the big questions of the summer transfer activity: will Jude Bellingham stay with Borussia Dortmund? Due to his outstanding performance, the 19-year-old has been the focus of several heavyweights. Above all, Liverpool FC, Manchester City and Real Madrid are interested, numbers beyond the 100 million euro transfer limit are making the rounds.
At BVB, however, they do not want to settle for a fixed departure from Bellingham. As the picture wants to know, Dortmund should start one last big attempt to persuade the courted Englishman to stay. Accordingly, a historic annual salary of 15 million euros should wave to him. “I would like that,” Kehl said sky-Mic on possible whereabouts of Bellingham, whose contract is dated 2025. Talks with his parents, who advise the 19-year-old, have not yet taken place.
There are also no concrete inquiries, which at least keeps the hope alive. “Honestly, it’s not an issue for us either – and that’s also the case with Jude. He’s not thinking about the summer at the moment and wants to be successful with us,” said Kehl. He also made it clear that Bellingham “cannot be replaced at all from a sporting point of view” for BVB. “At the moment I would be more than happy if the boy stayed. (…) I can’t predict how the topic will develop today,” Kehl added.
Since the outcome of the 19-year-old is still in the stars, the search for a successor is not a top priority. The rumors about the departure of long-time captain Marco Reus are much more concrete. His contract expires in the summer, but apparently there have been no talks about extending the contact. Apparently, Reus is upset.
BVB: future of Marco Reus unclear
“Of course I’m looking ahead, I still have six months on the contract, it would be wrong if I didn’t worry,” he explained, when asked about the interest from Saudi Arabia and some PL clubs. What Reus consultant Dirk lever in the BamS So commented: “It’s normal for other clubs to be interested in a player like Marco whose contract expires in six months.”
Should Reus actually leave the club after eleven years together, BVB apparently already has a concrete idea for a successor. The Roman newspaper Il Messagero writes that Borussia is one of the clubs that have their eyes on Nicoló Zaniolo from AS Roma, along with AC Milan, Juventus Turin and Atlético Madrid.
The sticking point: the transfer fee, which according to the report amounts to 40 million euros. Such a transfer would only be possible for Borussia if the Bellingham category was sold. A commitment from Daichi Kamada, whose contract with Frankfurt Eintracht expires, would be significantly cheaper.
On the other hand, Emre Can is traded as another potential departure. Committed as a mentality and leadership player, the 28-year-old was almost never able to perform consistently. Again and again he drew negative attention to himself with individual mistakes. Recently there were rumors in Portugal that Benfica was dealing with the flexible defensive player. For example, she wrote about a loan with a purchase option Gazzette Express.
ATTACK: Only in the center there is clarity
In the offensive center, BVB only recently achieved clarity. Youngster Youssoufa Moukoko signed a new contract until 2026, so BVB can plan long-term with the German international. In addition, Sébastien Haller seems to have survived his cancer well, which is why he is also firmly planned for the BVB bosses.
The situation around Anthony Modeste looks more difficult. The Frenchman had to be signed last year as a quick alternative to the injured Haller, but he never really warmed to Dortmund. His contract expires in the summer, so there is currently not much to say about extending the collaboration. According to sports picture Modeste belongs to the group of players for whom BVB has already agreed not to extend the contract. In any case, the 34-year-old would have a difficult time against a fit Haller and Moukoko and would hardly get a chance.
The second big construction site next to the full-backs is the occupation of the offensive wing positions in the black and yellow. They currently have enough players under contract with Donyell Malen, Karim Adeyemi, Thorgan Hazard, Giovanni Reyna and Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, but these have either been out of shape this season or have been injured for a long period of time.
While Adeyemi, Reyna and Bynoe-Gittens will be given another chance or integrated into the first team, the performances of Malen and Hazard are under scrutiny. According to various media reports, Hazard in particular should be happy to be handed over by BVB if a suitable offer comes up. Equipped with a contract until 2024, it would be Dortmund’s last chance to generate a fee for the Belgian.
The return of Ansgar Knauff, whose loan ends after two successful years at Eintracht Frankfurt, could compensate for a Hazard departure. Kehl recently announced that plans are being made with the 21-year-old in the future. According to sports1 talks have already taken place. A decision on how to proceed with Knauff in the summer – after all, the SBU is also interested in further cooperation with the winger – should only be made in the summer.
Anthony Elanga from Manchester United is also being traded as an external solution. As transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reports, the Swede could join the black and yellow on loan. Elanga isn’t really coming into play at United this season. The winger is usually in demand as a substitute, and a loan could give his development new impetus.
