Brandt out, Sancho in doubt: The Dortmund players who could leave this summer

Stefan Bienkowski

• Updated: 19 May 2021 15:43 BST
• 4 min read

While Borussia Dortmund are still in the German Cup, elimination from the Champions League at the hands of Manchester City all but drew a line under a rather disappointing season. 

The Westfalen side are highly unlikely to battle their way back into the Bundesliga top four before the end of the season and will almost certainly spend this coming summer going through this squad with a fine-tooth comb with new head coach Marco Rose. 

So if Dortmund are to get back into shape and start challenging for domestic honours, which players need to leave the club this summer?

READ MORE: Chelsea manager Tuchel urged to keep Ziyech and sell ‘blind horse’ Werner

Goalkeepers

While Dortmund are unlikely to sell both of their senior keepers, it has become abundantly clear that neither shot-stoppers are up to the task of being a dependable goalkeeper for the club next season. 

Roman Burki and Marwin Hitz both have contracts until 2023, but it’s almost certain that the club will look to sign a new No.1 and offload one – or perhaps both – players in the summer if they can receive decent offers. 

Defenders 

Although Dortmund have issues throughout the team, the club are pretty well stacked in defence for the coming season. Mats Hummels continues to lead the line, while Manuel Akanji, Dan-Axel Zagadou and Emre Can offer plenty of support and cover when called upon in central defence. 

The club will almost certainly look to move Nico Schulz and Thomas Meunier on in the summer, after both have struggled to prove their worth in Dortmund colours. We can also expect Lukasz Piszczek, Felix Passlack and Marcel Schmelzer to depart when their contracts come to an end this summer. 

Midfielders 

In midfield, Dortmund are rammed full of average players that Rose will almost certainly want to move on and recoup some money for in the summer. This will almost certainly mean Julian Brandt – who attracted interest from Arsenal in January – and Thorgan Hazard, as well as potential departures for Axel Witsel, Thomas Delaney and Mahmoud Dahoud too, who will all be entering the final year of their contracts in the summer. 

Similarly, 19-year-old attacking midfielder Reinier will almost certainly return to his parent club Real Madrid after offering very little over the course of the season. 

Attack 

Unlike most clubs, it seems as though all of Europe is acutely aware of which forwards Dortmund currently possess and whether or not the club plan on selling them this summer. 

Erling Haaland and Jadon Sancho will unquestionably be two of the most enticing players in summer’s transfer window but Dortmund maintain that they have no intention of selling either player. 

That stance will likely change if a larger club can offer up the right price, but as we saw with Manchester United’s pursuit of Sancho last summer, Dortmund are not easily bullied in the transfer market. 

As things currently stand, Dortmund are planning to keep both players for next season unless an extraordinary offer comes down the line.