Dortmund's Strategy to Retain Guirassy Amid Transfer Uncertainties

Borussia Dortmund’s summer is being shaped in a quiet meeting room rather than under the Westfalenstadion floodlights. Sporting director Ole Book and managing director Lars Ricken Guirassy have already sat down with Serhou Guirassy, laying out transfer plans and doing their best to convince their No. 9 that his future still lies in black and yellow.

They know exactly what they are up against. The 30-year-old’s contract runs until 2028, but it contains an exit clause set at around €35 million for selected top clubs. For a striker of his output, that figure is a temptation, not a barrier.

Guirassy has not hidden the fact that he is weighing up his options. His name has drifted steadily through the rumour mill, most recently landing in Istanbul. Fenerbahce have been linked, with presidential candidate Aziz Yildirim reported to have agreed a transfer with the former VfB Stuttgart forward if he wins this weekend’s 6–7 June election. One ballot could change Dortmund’s attack.

Inside BVB, nobody is pretending this is simple. Book has already chosen his words carefully in public, stopping short of any grand promises.

“His goals make him incredibly important, so our stance is clear: we do not want to lose him. But if an exceptional offer arrives, we will consider it,” he said.

That line tells the story. Dortmund want to build around Guirassy. They may have to sell him to fund the rebuild.

The club’s transfer strategy leaves little room for romance. BVB are heavily reliant on sales to finance new arrivals, especially the additional attacker they are hunting. The departures of Joane Gadou (€19.5m), Kaua Prates (€7m) and Justin Lerma (€4m) have already brought in significant money, but not enough to close every gap in the squad.

Karim Adeyemi

If the 24-year-old does not extend his contract, which runs until 2027, a summer sale becomes more than a possibility. It becomes a business necessity: the last realistic chance to bring in a fee before the winger can walk away for nothing.

Negotiations have not been smooth. Reports say talks have stalled over salary demands and the exact wording of a possible release clause. Adeyemi pushed back on that version of events in an interview with WAZ, stressing his connection with the club.

“I have spoken out in support of Borussia Dortmund on many occasions and have always emphasised what I value about this club and how passionate I am about it,” he said.

Then came the line that matters most to the boardroom.

“Above all, it is important to me to receive a clear signal from the club – regardless of which way the decision ultimately goes.”

Dortmund want clarity from Adeyemi. Adeyemi wants clarity from Dortmund. Guirassy waits to see which way the wind blows.

One piece that seems to have fallen off the chessboard is Jadon Sancho. For weeks, speculation swirled about another attempt to bring the winger back. It would have been the romantic move, the crowd-pleaser, the perfect supplier for a penalty-box predator like Guirassy. According to consistent media reports, that scenario is now virtually off the table.

So the picture is this: BVB are trying to keep a prolific striker, potentially reshaping the attack around him, while juggling the future of a high-value winger and operating under tight financial realities. The club knows exactly what Guirassy offers. The numbers are blunt.

He has scored 60 goals and provided 15 assists in 96 appearances for Dortmund. Last season he hit 22 league goals, finishing as the club’s top scorer and the man they turned to when games tightened and nerves frayed.

Those goals have bought Dortmund time in countless matches. The question now is whether they can buy enough certainty in the market to keep the man who scores them.