Borussia Dortmund Transfer Window Roundup 2020/21
Ahead of Lucien Favre’s third season in charge of Borussia Dortmund, the Swiss was relatively quiet in the transfer market.
After the club had finished second in the Bundesliga for the second successive season, the squad was to mostly stay the same.
(All following fees via transfermarkt.com)
(Featured image: Borussia Dortmund)
In: Jude Bellingham – Birmingham City (€25m)
🖤💛 Jude Bellingham. The youngest goalscorer in Dortmund's history! 👏👏👏#UCL pic.twitter.com/2xUNl4EGCi
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) September 15, 2020
Dortmund’s main port of call was to reinforce the midfield area.
Julian Weigl left the club in January, while Mario Götze was allowed to depart on a free transfer after seeing a substantial reduction in minutes last season.
Aligning with the traditional BVB philosophy of signing younger players with potential for the future, the club turned their attentions to a young man who had made headlines in the English Championship with Birmingham City.
Having just turned 17 in the summer, the €25m fee could be seen as a sizeable gamble, but this kid is destined for the top.
He’s already made three starts, having scored on his debut at Duisburg in the DFB-Pokal, while also claiming an assist in the Bundesliga.
The dynamic midfielder is already on the path to becoming a key player for the Black and Yellows. Something tells me that when the day does come for him to leave Signal Iduna Park, it will be for far more than €25m.
In: Emre Can – Juventus (€25m)
Emre 2024 pic.twitter.com/mAr9QBcBm5
— Borussia Dortmund (@BlackYellow) February 18, 2020
Weigl’s immediate replacement was Emre Can, who became a Dortmund player in January, initially arriving on loan from Juventus after falling down the pecking order.
The former Liverpool man played all but three league games for BVB after his arrival and started both legs of the club’s UEFA Champions League round of 16 defeat to PSG.
A seasoned defensive midfield option and Germany international, this is a smart acquisition for ‘die Schwarzgelbe’, who know exactly what they’re getting and whose midfield is nicely bolstered.
In: Thomas Meunier – PSG (Free)
After two strong seasons on loan, Achraf Hakimi returned to Real Madrid at the end of last season.
The Morocco international opted to join Inter on a permanent deal last month.
To replace him, Favre recruited another forward-thinking right-back, in the form of PSG’s Thomas Meunier.
Having been a regular for the Parisians, the Belgium international played 128 times and claimed 35 direct goal contributions in four years in the French capital.
An experienced winner, this signing makes a lot of sense.
Out: Mario Götze – PSV (Free)
🎙 Zorc prematch presser:
“We will part ways with Mario Götze this summer. It was a mutual and respectful decision. Mario is a great man.” pic.twitter.com/XHcvuRsOrQ
— Borussia Dortmund (@BlackYellow) May 23, 2020
A cult hero in North Rhine-Westphalia, Mario Götze’s return to Borussia Dortmund was brought to an end this summer.
Fitness issues over the past couple of seasons have seen the German’s game time deplete quite significantly.
His contract was mutually left to expire in June; the 2014 World Cup winner has moved to Dutch giants PSV for a fresh start.
Out: Ömer Toprak – Werder Bremen (€4m)
Having become a Black and Yellow three years ago, Toprak arrived from Bayer Leverkusen as a reliable Bundesliga defender.
However, the Turkish international found himself behind the likes of Manuel Akanji, Abdou Diallo and Marc Bartra in the pecking order.
He joined Werder Bremen on loan last season and made that deal permanent this summer.
#Möin 👋
👉 https://t.co/TlTT32akSn#Werder pic.twitter.com/FKlhSrSoI7
— SV Werder Bremen (@werderbremen) August 11, 2019
In: Reinier – Real Madrid (Loan)
After Paco Alcacer’s January departure to Villarreal in January, Borussia Dortmund were left a little short in the central forward areas.
Similarly to the signing of Bellingham, the club continued to look out for some of Europe’s top talents and another was brought in, as Reinier arrived from Real Madrid on loan until 2022.
Los Blancos recruited the Brazilian for a reported €30m in January, as he followed the likes of Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo in swapping Brazil for the Bernabeu, as some of the country’s top talents.
Given BVB’s track record of developing young players, he could prove to be a great signing.
🇧🇷 Reinier has joined Dortmund from Real Madrid on a two-year loan deal ✍️#UCL https://t.co/eRbU3iPaeg pic.twitter.com/g5sa9df1Ur
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) August 19, 2020
Out: Marius Wolf – Köln (Loan)
Boyhood Dortmund fan Marius Wolf has been loaned out for a second successive season, joining Köln for the season.
The right winger/right-back was on loan at Hertha BSC last season, a year after moving to Signal Iduna Park from Eintracht Frankfurt.
Staying in the Ruhr, the 25-year-old will be hoping for a successful season, to potentially earn a place in the BVB team next year.
Out: Leonardo Balerdi – Marseille (Loan Fee: €1m)
Another man who left the club on loan this summer, Leonardo Balerdi has joined Marseille for the term after one full season with Lucien Favre’s first team squad.
The defender failed to truly impress in his eight appearances in black and yellow, and a move to a Champions League side in Marseille shall be beneficial for his career.
Come the end of the season, the Argentine may return to play a more significant role.
Out: Andre Schürrle – Retired
🎊 We hope @Andre_Schuerrle enjoys his 30th birthday & first in retirement! @DFB_Team_EN fans – and @MarioGoetze – are just relieved he was at work in Brazil in 2014 🇩🇪 🏆
🎁 Did Mario ever give you a gift in return, Andre? 😆pic.twitter.com/ahrAMicHvM
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) November 6, 2020
A part of Germany’s 2014 World Cup-winning squad, Andre Schurrle also left Borussia Dortmund this summer. This comes after the club agreed the mutual termination his contract, to allow the former Chelsea man to retire.
The forward had spent the past two seasons out on loan from the club, first back in west London with Fulham and then in Russia with Spartak Moscow.
Now just 29 years old, Schurrle struggled with injuries during his stint with the BVB team between 2016 and 2018, when he played 51 times, claiming 18 direct goal contributions.
Retiring at quite an early age, we wish him all the best in his retirement!
Out: Immanuel Pherai – PEC Zwolle (Loan)
A younger player who has left the club on loan, Immanuel Pherai, who joined Dortmund from AZ Alkmaar as a 16-year-old, has returned to the Netherlands to play for PEC Zwolle in the Eredivisie for the year.
This is the perfect opportunity for the 19-year-old midfielder to secure regular first team football.
Out: Dzenis Burnic – Heidenheim (€500k), Eric Oelschlägel – Utrecht (Free)
A couple of other younger, lesser-known players also left North Rhine-Westphalia this summer; 22-year-old defensive midfielder Dzenis Burnic moved to second tier side Heidenheim on a permanent deal, while reserve goalkeeper Eric Oelschlägel joined Utrecht in the Eredivisie on a free transfer.
Both players can start new chapters in their careers and kick on elsewhere.
Full List:
Ins:
Emre Can – Juventus (€25m)
Jude Bellingham – Birmingham City (€25m)
Thomas Meunier – PSG (Free)
Reinier – Real Madrid (Loan)
Outs:
Ömer Toprak – Werder Bremen (€4m)
Leonardo Balerdi – Marseille (Loan Fee: €1m)
Dzenis Burnic – Heidenheim (€500k)
Mario Götze – PSV (Free)
Eric Oelschlägel – Utrecht (Free)
Marius Wolf – Köln (Loan)
Immanuel Pherai – PEC Zwolle (Loan)
Andre Schürrle – Retired
Winter isn't so bad after all ✍️ pic.twitter.com/B754C1wJcj
— Borussia Dortmund (@BlackYellow) January 31, 2020
There wasn’t too much significant change to the Borussia Dortmund squad this summer; perhaps a greater refresh was needed, but there’s still plenty of quality in the squad.
Ahead of Erling Haaland’s first full year as a BVB man, the club will be hoping to build on another positive campaign under Lucien Favre.
