Updates to Beier, Moukoko & Co.
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Borussia Dortmund’s new sporting director Lars Ricken makes no secret of his ambitions and those of the Black and Yellows’ players. “We don’t just want to play for titles, but of course we want to win one at the end,” said the 48-year-old at a media round. That is their attitude. “I can’t promise a title, but I don’t have to rule one out either,” continued the ex-pro. Theoretically, there are relatively many possibilities with the German championship, the DFB Cup, the Champions League and the new Club World Cup.
But it will not be easy in any competition, and BVB is not the favorite in the Bundesliga either. “It will be a tough fight again. So, as fifth in the table, we are also the challengers to some extent. At the end of the day, we want to go home with a title. We have been close to it twice now, and now we want to take the next step,” explained Ricken, who sees room for improvement ten days before the season opener in the DFB Cup against 1. FC Phönix Lübeck (6 p.m.).
“We saw a lot of good approaches, but it’s also normal that the game is still a bit cerebral because there’s a new coach who also has a slightly new idea of the game. I think we’re still in a phase of thinking, of considering: Am I doing everything tactically right? If the automatisms and processes are trained more, then the handbrake will be released and things will look better and better. The power in the final third was still lacking a bit, but we haven’t trained that at all yet,” said Ricken, summing up the preparation so far under new coach Nuri Şahin.
BVB very satisfied with transfers – further arrivals and departures possible
He is very satisfied with the signings so far, “because we have implemented all of the number one transfer targets in the respective positions,” said Ricken. BVB has so far signed central defender Waldemar Anton (28), centre-forward Serhou Guirassy (28; both VfB Stuttgart), midfielder Pascal Groß (33; Brighton) and right-back Yan Couto (22; Man City).
“We had planned to sign all four players and I am extremely pleased that we were able to sign them,” said Ricken. BVB invested just over 50 million euros in the quartet. “As of now, we are very happy with our squad. We have to wait and see what happens in the next few weeks.” We are keeping “all options open.” Maximilian Beier (21) is considered the top favorite to succeed Niclas Füllkrug (31), who has moved to West Ham.
“We are not the only ones who know that Maximilian Beier is a good player. He is a player from another club. Of course there is a dynamic here because we have sold Niclas Füllkrug. We are of course prepared for such scenarios, but you cannot implement them in a day. We currently have three strikers and are thinking about whether or not to do something else,” explained Ricken. A departure of Youssoufa Moukoko (19), who is being courted by Ligue 1 clubs Olympique Marseille and LOSC Lille, could free up space.
“I have a special relationship with him, I brought him to BVB when he was eleven. He has developed brilliantly, and if you look at his performances, it’s not that bad. It’s generally true that if a player feels he’s not getting the playing time he thinks he should, then you have to look at how you deal with it. In the end, there have to be three winners: the player, BVB, and the host club. That’s what happened in the Füllkrug case. That also applies to all other players,” said Ricken about Moukoko.
BVB will not give away any players – Ricken sees a large squad as necessary
BVB has recorded nine departures so far, with revenues amounting to almost 34 million euros. “We still have a few weeks, so something could happen on the transfer side. If players come to us and it is perhaps foreseeable that they will not get the playing time they want. But we will not give anyone away,” Ricken made clear. This also applied to Tom Rothe (19), whom BVB only allowed to move to Union Berlin with a buy-back option.
“Tom Rothe has developed brilliantly, but I also noticed that he didn’t look happy when he returned. He has Bensebaini in his position, Ryerson can also play on the left, and Couto may also. A young player like Tom has to play in the end. We have now given him the opportunity,” Ricken explained. The departure will be compensated for by U19 captain Almugera Kabar (18).
It remains to be seen whether talented Paris Brunner (18) will stay at BVB or succumb to the wooing of clubs such as AS Monaco. “He has been playing for us for a long time, he is a Dortmund boy. He knows how much we value him. We have been in talks with him and his parents for a long time, but that remains internal for now. We want to find solutions with him and give him, like other youth players, the opportunity to develop his potential with us. I hope we succeed. If not, we may have to think about other options. We will discuss that internally. If there is something to report, we will say it,” Ricken made clear.
The BVB sports director does not see a large squad as a problem, quite the opposite, given the increasing number of games in the season. “It is an immense burden, and it is also about managing the load. I think we will have a lot more regular players if you look at the number of minutes the players play. And I think everyone will then have the opportunity to get on the pitch and prove that they are right for the job,” said Ricken. “We always talk about a culture of performance, about a willingness to perform. I think that is exactly what we are seeing here. Every player is motivated. The boys want to be successful, they are all giving it their all. And of course, with the new arrivals, we now have a competitive situation, which means that people are actually fighting for places. That is what I wanted, that is what the club wanted, Nuri wanted and, in the end, the players want it too. I have not heard of a single player who did not want that, because everyone is clear: OK, that is the only way we will get better.”
