As Alexander Isak joins Borussia Dortmund, we look at how they’re hoarding the best talent in a bid to conquer Europe
All the talk in the Bundesliga is about Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig... but Dortmund are making huge strides with their youth
BORUSSIA DORTMUND have signed the teenage prodigy labelled the ‘new Zlatan Ibrahimovic’, as they continue to stockpile some of the brightest young talents in Europe.
The Bundesliga club fended off Real Madrid and Chelsea for the signature of 17-year-old Swedish superstar-in-the-making Alexander Isak.
Football Whispers has taken a look at Dortmund’s latest recruit as well as the impressive cast of young stars already at the club.
Keep up to date with ALL the FOOTBALL news, gossip, transfers and goals plus fixtures, results and live match commentary
Alexander Isak
With 13 goals in 29 senior appearances for AIK in Sweden, Isak caught the attention of scouts from top clubs all over Europe.
Madrid were thought to be on the verge of signing the 17-year-old last week, with representatives of the player in Spain to meet with Los Blancos.
But he has instead opted to sign for Dortmund, with the German side reportedly forking out £8.2million for his signature. The fee beats that paid by Ajax to sign Zlatan Ibrahimovic from Malmo back in 2001 by around £730,000.
Related Stories
At 6ft 3ins tall and still growing, Isak is already a formidable presence and no pushover for more experienced defenders.
A great first touch, fast and an accomplished finisher, it was AIK team-mate Chinedu Obasi who labelled him “Sweden’s new Zlatan Ibrahimovic”.
An international debut came earlier this month in a friendly defeat to Ivory Coast. Four days later Isak made his first start for his country and scored in a 6-0 win over Slovakia to become Sweden’s youngest ever scorer.
Ousmane Dembele
After bursting onto the scene with Rennes in Ligue 1 last season, Ousmane Dembele quickly marked himself out as one of the hottest prospects in Europe.
As a gifted winger who possesses mesmerising dribbling skills, Dembele is the kind of player who gets fans out of their seats with his trickery and creativity.
Already a full international for France, the 19-year-old joined Dortmund last summer in a deal worth £12.75million, shunning interest from La Liga and the Premier League.
Keep up-to-date with all the latest transfer news and gossip ahead of the January window with SunSport's daily LIVE blog
Dembele is the rarest of footballers in that he is genuinely two-footed, which means he is a nightmare for defenders as he is able to dribble in either direction without the usual tells that betray which way a winger is likely to move.
His decision making still needs some refinement, and that will naturally come with experience. But, with five goals and 12 assists in 25 games so far this term, Dembele is already an incredibly productive force in attack.
The youngster was so impressive in BVB’s 2-2 draw against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu last month that the European champions reportedly used the Champions League tie between the two clubs to discuss acquiring first option on Dembele.
Christian Pulisic
Wanted by Liverpool, 18-year-old American attacking midfielder Christian Pulisic has impressed with his maturity and well-rounded skillset.
Able to play on either wing or centrally as a No.10, Pulisic is quick, strikes the ball well with either foot, has an eye for a pass and the knack of finding space within the penalty area.
Though perhaps not as flashy as Dembele, there really isn’t much Pulisic can’t do in an attacking sense, while he has also displayed a tremendous work ethic and understanding of his tactical duties within manager Thomas Tuchel’s system.
FIFA rules prohibit players moving to a new continent before they turn 18, but Pulisic’s Croatian heritage allowed him to leave his home in Hershey, Pennsylvania, to join Dortmund when he was just 16.
After making his senior debut last term, he has featured 19 times for BVB this season, scoring twice. The teenager also has 11 caps at international level, where he is considered the USA’s best prospect since Landon Donovan.
Liverpool failed in an attempt to sign him last summer, and, with the youngster having penned a new long-term contract with Dortmund today, Jurgen Klopp may be frustrated if he goes back for Pulisic this summer.
Julian Weigl
Believed to be top of Pep Guardiola’s summer wish-list at Manchester City, 21-year-old German playmaker Julian Weigl is vital to the way Dortmund play.
Sitting at the base of midfield, the former 1860 Munich captain dictates play from deep while shielding the back four, leading to comparisons with Barcelona’s Sergio Busquets.
With only one senior career goal to his name, Weigl is rarely a direct threat to the opposition’s goal. But with a 92 per cent pass accuracy this season, the young midfielder is BVB’s metronome, making sure their attacking move progress up the field with their customary pace and fluidity.
With four Germany caps to his name, the 6ft 2ins midfielder’s international career is still in its infancy.
But with his vision, technique and range of passing, Weigl could soon rival Real Madrid’s Toni Kroos for the role of Die Mannschaft’s primary midfield conductor.
Raphael Guerreiro
Like Dembele, Dortmund snapped Raphael Guerreiro up last summer after an impressive spell in Ligue 1, paying £9.5million to sign the player form Lorient.
Guerreiro made his name both in France and for the Portuguese national team as a left-back, but has more often been deployed as an attacking midfielder by Tuchel this term.
Blessed with great pace, agility and a wand of a left foot, the 23-year-old was a standout performer for his nation as they defied the odds to win the European Championship last year.
Injury has kept him out of action in recent weeks, but Guerreiro remains a big part of Tuchel’s plans at Dortmund, with the German tactician valuing his versatility and superb technique.
Emre Mor
Another player who shot to prominence at Euro 2016 is Denmark-born Turkish international Emre Mor.
The diminutive winger showed supreme confidence during his cameo appearances for Turkey, demonstrating tremendous pace and a direct dribbling style.
A summer move to Dortmund from FC Nordsjælland in Denmark soon followed.
Though used predominantly from the bench for far this term, Mor has exhibited his immense potential with some impressive displays.
Able to play on either wing, the teenager is an ideal option for Tuchel to bring on late in a game and test the weary legs of tired defenders. However, if he keeps improving Mor will soon find himself in contention for a regular starting berth.
Felix Passlack
Standing at just 5ft 7ins, Felix Passlack does not fit the mould of the modern, physical German footballer. But the 18-year-old full-back has more than enough ability on and off the ball to make up for his lack of size.
A product of Dortmund’s youth academy, the Germany under-19 international has stood out in his senior outings to date thanks to his accurate short passing, excellent timing of tackles and ability to get forward from either full-back position to join the attack.
With only nine Bundesliga appearances under his belt, Passlack is far from a fixture in the BVB first XI.
But, at just 18, he has already marked himself out as the long-term heir to either Lukasz Piszczek or captain Marcel Schmelzer on either side of the Black and Yellows’ backline.
