Dortmund have increased their efforts to sign the Dutch full-back.
A very amazing Bundesliga season has come to an end, and while we have a new and somewhat surprising Champion this year, one thing never changes in football: the continual flood of transfer speculations over the summer. Lars Ricken, Sebastian Kehl, and others have already publicly stated that there will be a lot of action on the transfer front this summer, and the Dortmund rumor mill is already in high gear. Our trustworthy friends, Florian Plettenberg and Patrick Berger, have already been reporting from and around the Dortmund camp, so let’s attempt to catch up on some of the most intriguing news!
Ian Maatsen is officially a top target for BVB, and for good reason. Basically, ever since Maatsen played his first 90 minutes for Dortmund, rumors have circulated concerning his future. Fortunately for BVB, Maatsen is allegedly very happy in Dortmund and has notified his entourage that he wishes to remain. The 35 million euro release clause remains fairly high for BVB, and the expectation is that a reduced cost (25 million euros) can be negotiated with Chelsea.
Maatsen has been a tremendous revelation on Dortmund’s left flank since joining on loan from London, and it appears to be a no-brainer for Ricken, Kehl, and Mislintat. A well-rounded profile like Maatsen is rare in today’s transfer market, and even if Chelsea can’t be persuaded to pay the current price, a move should be carefully studied by BVB’s recruitment team. As a side note, signing Maatsen would most likely result in the exit of Ramy Bensebaini, who has been disappointing since joining from Gladbach in the summer.
Is Serhou Guirassy Coming to Dortmund?
Dortmund is also searching for offensive reinforcements, and Lars Ricken has Serhou Guirassy from VfB Stuttgart on his list. If this report is true, it will very certainly be the end of Sébastien Haller and Youssoufa Moukoko’s careers. Guirassy has a release clause of 18.5 million euros, therefore any top team in Europe looking for a striker would be foolish not to consider signing the Guinean striker.
Guirassy is apparently considering a move to Dortmund, but I can’t see him signing without certain commitments from the sporting department. Dortmund already has Niclas Füllkrug on their roster, so competition will be stiff. This idea has gained traction in recent days, but I believe it is still worth questioning, considering Dortmund already has three strikers and no real rumors of departures have surfaced.
Is Pascal a Groß Brain Move?
According to Patrick Berger, Brighton’s German midfielder is allegedly on Dortmund’s midfield roster. This transfer appears unusual, unless the club has already decided to move on from Felix Nmecha or shuffle the midfield without Emre Can and/or Salih Özcan. Even yet, it appears improbable that Dortmund would want to pay 8–10 million euros on a 32-year-old midfielder.
What speaks in favor of this transfer is simply Groß’ talent. He has been one of Brighton’s top players for several seasons, practically matching what Toni Kroos is doing in the latter stages of his career at Real Madrid. He has also received a well-deserved call-up to Julian Nagelsmann’s reformed Die Mannschaft for the Euros. While Groß is unquestionably a talented player, it’s difficult to envision where and how he might fit into the existing roster. Perhaps it’s a clue that BVB will switch between one or more midfield profiles this summer? We’ll probably learn more soon enough!
What’s the Next Destination for a GOAT?
I won’t spend too much time on this because Marco Reus isn’t done in Dortmund just yet. Rumors of moves to Saudi Arabia, St. Louis City, and Charlotte FC began to circulate well before the Champions League final. When a player of Reus’ caliber is about to leave, it’s not surprising that he gets this much attention. For the time being, Reus appears to be completely focused on the Champions League final, and he has postponed any pronouncements about his future until after what could be his most meaningful game in a BVB shirt to yet.
