Dortmund Transfers: Rating Dortmund's First Three Signings

It seems like summer 2015 will be very similar to summer 2014 for Borussia Dortmund.

With reports that they will once again have to deal with the departure of key players, the club’s front office didn’t waste any time in hitting the transfer market for reinforcements.

Dortmund has already secured three signatures this summer. Here are the rankings of how much of an impact each of these players can make in the 2015-16 season at Signal Iduna Park:

1. Gonzalo Castro

Frank Augstein/Associated Press

Two out of the three Dortmund signings were dedicated to strengthening the German team’s midfield.

With the looming reality of Ilkay Gundogan’s departure, it is only fitting that new boss Thomas Tuchel and his staff take such an approach.

Castro is, by far, the signing who can contribute the most for Dortmund right away.

The former Bayer Leverkusen man is an experienced central midfielder who can dictate the tempo of the game if given the opportunity.

A report from ESPN FC claims that Dortmund triggered the €11 million release clause in Castro’s contract to take him away from Leverkusen.

The fee was a fair one when considering Castro’s skill and experience. The 28-year-old has five caps for Germany under his belt.

However, this transfer might even be considered a bargain for Dortmund later on, depending on how Castro adapts to his new home.

In 2014-15, he scored two goals and tallied 11 assists through 32 games in all competitions, per Transfermarkt.com.

Those are similar numbers to his stats from two or three seasons ago. In 2013-14, Castro finished the year with five goals and 12 assists through 39 games, while in 2012-13, he recorded eight goals and nine assists through 40 games.

Those stats speak a number about Castro’s consistency. And consistency is certainly something Dortmund should be desperate for.

2. Roman Burki

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This might be the most intriguing signing Dortmund has made so far this summer.

Burki had a very solid 2014-15 campaign between SC Freiburg’s posts. He was brought in by Freiburg to substitute Oliver Baumann, who was sold to 1899 Hoffenheim, and Burki made the most out of the opportunity.

The Swiss keeper played 34 Bundesliga matches for Freiburg and managed to keep nine clean sheets in the season.

He finished 2014-15 conceding 47 goals in the Bundesliga, 14 fewer goals than Freiburg allowed in the previous season.

That looks even more remarkable when we weigh in the fact that Freiburg also had Matthias Ginter at center back in 2013-14.

The interesting aspect about Burki’s transfer to Dortmund is that the DFB Pokal finalists already have a solid goalkeeping core.

Zlatan Alomerovic is on his way to Kaiserslautern, but Dortmund still has a pair of very reliable goalkeepers on the squad in Roman Weidenfeller and Mitchell Langerak.

Now at 34, Weidenfeller has been defending Dortmund’s net since 2002. Nonetheless, the signing of Burki does seem to put a question mark in Weidenfeller’s future, per the Guardian.

The World Cup champion keeper with Germany has only one year left in his contract with Dortmund, so the signing of a young keeper looks to be a hint that the veteran might not be in Dortmund’s plans for much longer.

3. Julian Weigl

Dianne Manson/Associated Press

Still in his late teens, Weigl is certainly an investment for the future for the Signal Iduna Park club.

Dortmund’s sporting director, Michael Zorc, confirmed that to the club's official website (h/t ESPN FC).

"Julian Weigl is a future prospect for central midfield who we really believe has the potential to develop," Zorc said.

Weigl is a product of the 1860 Munich youth system. He played his way into the senior squad and featured in 24 2. Bundesliga matches for 1860 Munich in 2014-15.

He also became the youngest player to ever be named captain in 1860 Munich’s history at 18 years old, when he wore the armband for the first two games of the 2014-15 season, according to a Squawka report.

The 19-year-old talent probably won't be a sure feature in Dortmund’s main squad this coming season.

However, if given one or two years to mature, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Weigl fighting for a spot in Dortmund’s lineup when the time is right.