Why Borussia Dortmund Must Hand Joe Gyau a New Contract

Borussia Dortmund will spend much of this summer thumbing through a shortlist of wonderful talents across Europe, but within their own youth system is a player desperately waiting for his chance to prove his worth to Thomas Tuchel this season. 

Joe Gyau, a 22-year-old American international, has been on Dortmund's books since last summer after signing from Hoffenheim but spent much of last season playing for Dortmund II in the 3. Liga. But this kid has talent, and he could prove to be worth a lot more than the measly two-year deal he currently has at the Westfalenstadion.

The young midfielder's best football was perhaps most notable when he was on loan at 2. Bundesliga side St. Pauli during the 2013-14 season, where he was allowed to express himself as the attacking threat he wants to be. 

Although Gyau never managed to score during his season in the second tier, the American international was a constant performer through the manner in which he was able to dribble with speed and pace from deep and in opponents' final third. 

On the left wing, Gyau constantly held a wide line, allowing the Buccaneers to use him as a target man in their counter-attacks. He's an instrumental talent that undoubtedly suits teams who enjoy hitting their opponent on the break, like Dortmund. 

Although there is always a jump in quality between the second and first tier of any league system, the quality of football in the 2. Bundesliga isn't far from what Dortmund come up against each week in the German top division. 

Not only does Gyau have the talent to offer something to Tuchel's side next season, but he also plays in a position that Dortmund could desperately use some cover in over the next 12 months. 

Sure, the incoming manager may have one of the best wide-forwards in the world to rely on in Marco Reus, but aside from the German international, there are few standout performers on Dortmund's wings these days. 

Mark Humphrey/Associated Press

Long gone are the days of Jakub Blaszczykowski and Kevin Grosskreutz bombing down each wing with boundless enthusiasm and determination, replaced instead by a whole gang of maybe men in Kevin Kampl, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Shinji Kagawa and Milos Jojic—all talented in their own right but not talented wingers. 

This is where Gyau could potentially break through and offer something different. There simply isn't a player at Dortmund right now who will take the ball and try to run around the outside of his opposing winger or full-back. 

If Tuchel demands such width and focus on either wing, then Gyau could potentially bring more to the role than someone like Kampl or Mkhitaryan, who often find themselves drifting inside and looking to link up with players in the middle of the pitch. 

Gyau is an out and out winger, and that alone could make him vital to Tuchel's plans for next season. 

In a minor, final point, there is also the fact that Gyau is—unlike the vast majority of Dortmund's first team—young and hungry for success. The American forward has never won anything as a player, and given the opportunity to play, he'll undoubtedly run through walls for Tuchel and his side. 

It's that innocent, uncorrupted hunger that made world-beaters of Mats Hummels, Kagawa, Lukasz Piszczek and Mario Gotze, but now that Jurgen Klopp is gone, Tuchel has to find his own band of youngsters just waiting to be forged in to the next golden generation. 

Gyau has one season to prove himself at Dortmund. After that, he may well find himself out the door and in search of a new club. But if he can show Tuchel the talents he clearly has, then he could be Dortmund's next diamond in the rough. 

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