Scouting Notebook: Mahmoud Dahoud Can Fill Ilkay Gundogan's Boots at Dortmund

Borussia Dortmund's forethought and shrewdness in the transfer market never fails to impress, and the club continued to plunge rival fanbases into jealous despair by confirming the signing of Mahmoud Dahoud from Borussia Monchengladbach on Thursday.

The Syrian-born midfielder will join the club this summer and cost a relatively measly £10.3 million, per Ed Aarons of the Guardian.

It's yet another example of sporting director Michael Zorc acting swiftly to bring in an asset he knows will improve the first-team squad immeasurably, and this move comes less than a month after it was announced Omer Toprak would swap Bayer Leverkusen for Dortmund in the summer too—a transfer that surprised no one considering it has been on the cards since mid-2016.

Dahoud's fee represents a profit for Gladbach, as he joined the club in 2010 aged 14, but the deal will ensure Dortmund make an even bigger one should they sell him in a few years. The 21-year-old is one of the most highly rated young midfielders playing in Europe and will bring something sorely lacking to this BVB XI.

Credit: Sky

Manager Thomas Tuchel has tried in vain to replace Ilkay Gundogan's driving, roaming presence in the centre of the park last summer, but perhaps predictably, no one has come close to replicating what the Germany international offered.

Since his sale to Manchester City, a whole host of names have partnered Julian Weigl in 2016-17—Gonzalo Castro, Raphael Guerreiro and Sebastian Rode among them—but not one delivered what has been required.

Dahoud will.

Whenever he's started for Gladbach, he's brought elegance and intelligent movement to their play. The team's formation changes a lot, but no matter whether it's a back four or a back three, or a midfield two or three, he's impressed; as B/R's Lars Pollmann put it: "Play Mo Dahoud and good things happen."

Credit: Sky Calcio

He's been excelling of late in a multifaceted role, often picking possession up off the defence while playing as the central, deepest midfielder in a three, moving it forward and shuttling into space. He drifts into dangerous areas and shifts the ball quickly, upping the tempo of Gladbach's play.

Off the ball, Dahoud's a snappy presence who reads the game well and darts to the ball quickly in an attempt to regain possession. He takes up a position in his line in deeper areas, then pounces as opponents move the ball laterally, tearing out and dispossessing. It's an effective tactic and makes up a large part of his 2.7 tackles and 1.8 interceptions per game in the Bundesliga this season.

Dahoud is adept at taking players on, and while he's not a prolific dribbler, he knows how to square up an opponent in order to open space, then pick a route to move into. His low centre of gravity allows him to change direction quickly and pirouette on the ball in tight spaces.

He is also an excellent creator and long passer, able to lift delicate passes in behind for runners and thread the eye of the needle along the floor. Some of the chances he's fashioned over the past few months have left spectators gushing.

Credit: Sky

All of these qualities are sorely needed at Dortmund, where too much of a burden has fallen upon Weigl and Ousmane Dembele this season. As good as the former is at starting play from deep, he needs help. And as remarkable as the latter is in the final third, it can't all fall on him every week—it becomes too predictable.

Then there's the added concern that a centre-back duo of Sokratis Papastathopoulos and Toprak, while hard as nails, can't help build play from the back. And if Tuchel switches to a back four at any point, Weigl would then be in serious need of assistance from another ball-player.

This season, Castro has been too inconsistent, as has Guerreiro and both Shinji Kagawa and Rode subpar. There's a spot begging to be taken in this midfield, no matter the formation, and Zorc has tied down the perfect man for the job.

A first-team starter from the outset with a high ceiling, Dahoud's a front-runner for best bargain of the window, bringing all of the qualities Dortmund need in one package.

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