Grading Borussia Dortmund on Their 2015 Summer Transfer Window Dealings

As things currently stand, Thomas Tuchel can do no wrong in the eyes of Borussia Dortmund fans.

Not only has the new manager flown beyond any modest hopes fans had of the new season, but also he has very quickly reestablished the club among the very best in the German Bundesliga after only three games in the new league campaign.

But just how well have Germany’s second club done in this summer’s transfer window?

The greatest fear that brings a shiver down any Dortmund fan’s spine whenever the transfer window opens is just who was planning on putting in an offer for one of their star players.

Robert Lewandowski left last summer, and Mario Gotze broke black and yellow hearts the summer before. Like the later nights and warmer weather, the summer months have come to represent great anguish and disappointment for Dortmund fans in recent years.

Yet this summer was notably different. As reported by Miguel Delaney—of ESPN on September 1—Manchester United made a serious effort to sign Marco Reus over the summer months, but the club held out for a solid £60 million evaluation over their star player.

Similarly, new transfer stories came out on a daily basis linking Mats Hummels and Henrikh Mkhitaryan with moves to any club that could feasibly afford to have them. Yet the Bundesliga side held strong and seemed to refrain from selling.

It would seem as though a new spine has been added to the Westfalenstadion backroom staff this summer, and it’s meant Dortmund have held on to their best players.

Martin Meissner/Associated Press

Kevin Kampl, Jakub Blaszczykowski and Ciro Immobile all departed over the summer months, but each made their moves on Dortmund’s terms. At no point did Tuchel feel threatened by bigger clubs or indeed need to replace a star player who had been suddenly pulled out of his roster.

On another positive note, Tuchel and his own backroom staff have come in to this squad and very quickly addressed the glaring holes in the team that Jurgen Klopp left behind.

Perhaps the most notable was between the sticks, which Tuchel has tackled by signing young shot-stopper Roman Burki to replace the wavering, somewhat unreliable Roman Weidenfeller from Freiburg.

Dortmund fans have also been fascinated by the impact young starlet Julian Weigl has made in the middle of the park since signing from 1860 Munich. The Bavarian youngster was picked up as a prospect to sit in reserve, but within a few months, he has pushed past Sven Bender as Dortmund’s first-choice defensive midfielder.

Gonzalo Castro, who has long since established himself as a genuine Bundesliga talent, signed from Bayer Leverkusen this summer, and although he hasn’t made as big an impact as Weigl or Burki, fans will be well aware of just how vital his ability will become as the squad begins to stretch through the season.

Ultimately, Dortmund couldn’t have hoped for a brighter and more effective transfer window. Not only have they convinced their best players to stay put, but also under the new coach, they have brought in ideal, effective players who can quickly step in to the side with perfect synchronisation.

Borussia Dortmund’s 2015/16 summer transfer window grade: A