How Long Can Borussia Dortmund Realistically Keep Marco Reus For?

Borussia Dortmund will jump in to this summer's transfer window with a shield in one hand and the largest sword they can find in the other, as Europe’s biggest clubs come to town and do their best to tempt the Bundesliga side’s best talent from the Westfalenstadion.

While some believe Mats Hummels, Ilkay Gundogan and even Ciro Immobile may move on from the club, one player who has successfully avoided any heavy speculation is forward Marco Reus, Dortmund’s best player and undoubtedly the most sought-after star at the club.

Yet just how long will it be before Reus finally packs his bags and heads for pastures new? Or will he stay at his boyhood club for the remainder of his career? It’s time to assess the situation.

The most obvious factor to take into account when considering whether Reus will indeed leave the former German champions is the fact that he recently stunned much of the European game in signing a contract extension until 2019 back in February of this year.

Such a move would, of course, mean nothing more than ensuring the club received a healthy bid for the player’s services to most cynics, yet there is a genuine belief among most fans that the deal was signed in good nature and understanding.

If we can assume the forward has no immediate intentions to leave Dortmund at this moment in time, it means the club can look forward to his services in the first team until at least the summer of 2018. After that things will become a little tricky.

As most transfers work in the modern era, the German international, if courted by one of any possible suitors, will only fetch the highest price if he is sold the season before he does indeed see his current contract expire.

Of course, we’ve seen Dortmund handle this problem before. As we know with Robert Lewandowski’s free transfer to Bayern Munich, the Black and Yellows opted to run out his contract rather than sell him on for a handsome fee.

Whether the club would do this again should Reus opt to leave in the future is entirely unknown, but as things stand at the moment, 2018 would seem like the earliest he may leave the club. Assuming the left-sided forward does indeed honour his contract.

However, there are other factors to consider.

Michael Probst/Associated Press

The next one is the incoming manager Thomas Tuchel and what he can do with Dortmund over the next couple of years.

There’s no doubt that Reus is a player who believed in the teachings of current manager Jurgen Klopp. He signed for the club under the charismatic coach and has indeed chosen to stick around despite currently going through one of Dortmund’s worst seasons. But can Tuchel promise that kind of allure?

The former Mainz manager will undoubtedly bring with him a wave of optimism and a feel-good feeling throughout the Westfalenstadion that has been missing for quite some time. Yet the Dortmund-manager-to-be will be expected to turn things around in a realistic time period.

Next season will go down as a transition period and, as such, anything above sixth place in the Bundesliga will be filed under "a success," however, after that the Dortmund board, fans and, perhaps most importantly, Reus will expect the club to start aiming for that league title once again.

This may then shorten any expected or indeed projected deadline on Reus’ time in Dortmund. Tuchel will have time, money and quality to work with at the club this summer and most likely turn things around, but if he falters and perhaps even loses his job, there’s very little chance of a talent such as Reus sticking around for another three or five-year rebuilding project. Either Tuchel brings success and trophies back to the Westfalenstadion or this German sensation will almost certainly be picking his next destination.

Although there is the other possibility of Tuchel’s appointment—that he brings the Bundesliga title back to Dortmund—which may of course prove to be just as worrisome in keeping Reus at the club.

The main thing that may well be driving the 25-year-old right now is the desire to finally lift the Bundesliga title with the club that he supported as a boy. Reus missed the World Cup and he missed Dortmund’s campaign-winning years and, as such, may well need to win a league trophy before he can make the next step in his career.

As much as a lack of progress may put the forward off sticking around in Dortmund, too much of it may make him numb to such success and force him to move on to the next challenge.

Ultimately, the only person who knows if or when this German talent will leave Dortmund is Reus himself. He has been a Dortmund fan his entire life and is seemingly a rather grounded professional. The new manager, contract expiration dates and success may play a part in his future at the club but time will be the only thing that tells us if he will one day leave.

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