Borussia Dortmund has been busy building their squad for the upcoming summer season. Following the high-profile exits of Mats Hummels, Marco Reus, and most recently, Niclas Füllkrug, along with the conclusion of loan deals for Ian Maatsen and Jadon Sancho, the club has had numerous gaps to fill. They’ve been addressing these needs through internal options and bringing in new players.
In a recent interview, Ricken expressed his satisfaction with Dortmund’s summer restructuring efforts and affirmed his confidence in the club’s new acquisitions.
“I am very satisfied with the transfers and am surprised by how enthusiastic I am about them. In the end, it must be said that we have all implemented the number one transfer target on the respective positions,” Lars Ricken said.
So far, Dortmund have signed Serhou Guirassy, Waldemar Anton, Yan Couto, and Pascal Groß, each bringing valuable qualities to the team for the upcoming season. Guirassy, Groß, and Anton add seasoned Bundesliga experience, which will be crucial for the campaign. Groß, in particular, has delivered several standout seasons with Brighton in the Premier League and even earned a spot on Julian Nagelsmann’s Germany squad for the Euros. At 33, his wealth of experience will be crucial for a team that, as Ricken believes, should be contending for trophies this season.
“Theoretically, there are four possible titles: championship, cup, Champions League, and club world cup. We not only want to play for them but also want to win one. That is our attitude. I can’t promise a title, but I can’t exclude one either,” Ricken said.
Ricken also discussed the need for the club to “take the next step,” given how close Dortmund has come to winning silverware in the past two years. On paper, the signings made so far are positive steps forward. Ricken emphasized that it will be the players’ responsibility to ensure they are individually fit and prepared to support the club’s progression and hold each other accountable throughout the process.
“It is an obligation of the players to put themselves in the best possible condition. But also to make sure that the next man is also in the best possible condition.”
The strategy that Ricken, Sebastian Kehl, Sven Mislintat, and head coach Nuri Şahin are working on this summer will be crucial for Dortmund’s success this season. Although the team is progressing, there are still some gaps to address. With Tom Rothe’s recent departure, there’s been talk about whether the club should look for a new left back. However, Ricken’s current plan is to rely on existing players Ramy Bensebaini and Almugera Kabar to fill that role.
“It is not a given that we have four U19 players in our squad. Now that we have sold Tom Rothe, we have decided not only to have Kabar travel with us, but he will also stay with us. It is, of course, a brave decision, a brave solution, but I think we have to stand by it to give these guys this opportunity with us,” Ricken said.
Like Rothe, Kabar is a promising young talent from Dortmund’s youth academy who played in the team’s recent friendly against Villarreal. In that match, Bensebaini and Kabar showed that depending on them alone for the left-back position might be risky. This performance made Rothe’s departure seem even more confusing.
Although Ricken supports Kabar and acknowledges his talent, the club might pursue a new signing if the right opportunity arises. Some reports suggest that a loan deal could be the most probable solution.
Kabar has yet to face a severe test of top-flight football, which suggests that if no new signings are made and Bensebaini’s current form continues, Julian Ryerson might have a challenging role on the left side of defense. Recent reports suggest that a loan deal might be beneficial.
The club is also working on signing Maximilian Beier, who would be a great addition for Ricken and his team and round out their transfer efforts in his first summer as Director of Sport. While things look promising, a few more changes are needed to turn Ricken’s hopes for a title this year into a realistic expectation.
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