Borussia Dortmund has signed Pascal Groß, their preferred candidate, and is thus fuelling the competition. The transfer is a clear message to his teammates. One player in particular now has to worry about playing time.
Pascal Groß was beaming from ear to ear as he was the first to get off the BVB team bus in Bad Ragaz (Switzerland). The Dortmund team will be preparing for the upcoming season here until August 9th. One thing is clear: the new signing is already excited about his new job.
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Groß slept in BVB bed linen as a child. What sounds like a cliché actually applies to the 33-year-old. Groß is an avowed Dortmund fan. Being part of the Black and Yellows’ squad is a big dream for him, but being a reserve player will not be enough for him. The German international wants and should play a key role.
Pascal Groß in the BVB training camp
“Pascal is also a sly fox and poses a direct and indirect goal threat in many areas. We are convinced that he will enrich our game and strengthen us with his will to win and his personality,” enthused sports director Sebastian Kehl.
Gross’ greatest asset: his versatility. At Brighton & Hove Albion, he was used in several positions – including as a full-back – thanks to his ability to use both feet. But the former Ingolstadt player played most often in the double six, his favorite position.
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Who will get the place next to Marcel Sabitzer?
The hierarchy in midfield will be reorganized by the transfer.
In addition to Groß, BVB has a total of six different players in the squad for this position: Marcel Sabitzer, Felix Nmecha, Salih Özcan, Kjell Wätjen and Emre Can. Coach Nuri Sahin is spoiled for choice, almost has an oversupply.
Sabitzer, who was one of Dortmund’s best players last season and impressed as captain of the Austrian national team, is likely to be a given. Youngster Kjell Wätjen will be introduced to the pros slowly and, according to managing director Lars Ricken, will probably not play “30 games a season”. Nevertheless, the 18-year-old is seen as a promising player for the future.
The situation is different for Özcan. The Turkish international is considered the number one candidate for transfer.
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Those in charge are hoping and expecting the next step from Felix Nmecha, who moved to Dortmund last summer for 30 million. The demands on the ex-Wolfsburg player are high, and the signing of Pascal Groß is also a clear signal in his direction. Nmecha must improve!
Last season’s captain, Emre Can, will also have to worry about his place next season. The competition between Can and Groß is now entering the second round.
Round two in the duel Can against Groß
The two were already competing for the backup role behind Toni Kroos and Robert Andrich in the national team.
In the opening match of the European Championship against Scotland (1:5), Groß was substituted on after half-time ahead of Can, but did not play any more for the DFB team. Can, on the other hand, played a total of four games in the tournament (one goal), and even played from the start in the quarter-final against Spain.
Although Can was only nominated as a replacement due to the absence of Bayern youngster Aleksandar Pavlovic, he clearly had the better cards under national coach Julian Nagelsmann.
Dortmund’s training camp in Bad Ragaz will decide which of the two will come out on top at the start of the coming season under coach Nuri Sahin.