FootballTransfers reported on Borussia Dortmund youngster Mathis Albert after his limited first-team minutes and renewed involvement with the reserves. Albert is the 17-year-old Dortmund youngster who has made his senior debut for the US and briefly became his country's youngest-ever scorer.
Season minutes
Albert was permanently promoted to Borussia Dortmund's first team heading into the new season. Since playing the full 90 against HEBC Hamburg in the DFB-Pokal at the start of September, he has only clocked 20 minutes of senior football.
FootballTransfers said reports have started surfacing that Albert is growing frustrated. FootballTransfers also said that after playing against Union Berlin, Albert missed the game versus Eintracht Frankfurt.
Back with the reserves
FootballTransfers said Albert was demoted to the reserves and played the first half in a 2-0 win against Bonner SC in the Regionalliga West.
According to coach Niko Kovac, Albert and others will have to get used to playing with the B Team again.
Kovac on young players
Speaking to WAZ amid Dortmund's recent form slump, Kovac said: "I take full responsibility for that, we were a bit too young for the Champions League."
Regarding the lack of minutes for players like Albert, he added: "It's true, the young players are currently lagging a bit behind. As a coach, when matches are getting tight, you tend to bring on more experienced players."
What Kovac said Albert needs
Kovac said: "They need to remain patient, they need to make themselves available in training - and also through the U23s."
He also said: "They need playing time to develop further, training sessions aren't enough. And because of our congested schedule in recent and upcoming weeks, there isn't much time together in training, so they'll be playing one or two matches with the reserves."
Interest from other clubs
FootballTransfers said it was recently revealed that PSG tried to poach Albert from Dortmund as early as the summer of 2025. FootballTransfers also said Chelsea and Man City indicated in January that they would be ready to pay up to €20 million for Albert.
FootballTransfers said there were more approaches for Albert in the summer, and said Dortmund rebuffed all of these overtures.