Borussia Dortmund figures discussed Jobe Bellingham's development, contract talks and transfer plans. At the same time, Bayern Munich's Ismael Saibari was reported to have suffered a tear to the syndesmosis ligament in his right ankle in the match against Dortmund.
Bellingham's development
Sporting director Ole Book praised Jobe Bellingham's development at Borussia Dortmund. Book said: "Physically, he is at the top level. He can fully keep up and work his way into games. He still has the energy to play with real precision when the game goes on a bit longer".
Book added: "At the end of the day, that makes the difference. He can run a lot throughout the whole game and still play precise football. He is certainly someone for the big stage."
Dortmund signed Bellingham from AFC Sunderland for €30.5 million in the summer of 2025. The 21-year-old has made 62 competitive appearances for BVB, scoring one goal and providing eight assists.
Contract talks and clauses
Borussia Dortmund want to keep Waldemar Anton and Serhou Guirassy beyond their current contracts. On Sport1's Doppelpass, managing director Carsten Cramer said: "That is going on in the background, with the goal in sight. That is our strength. We are very happy with the current situation."
Asked about a possible release clause for Felix Nmecha, Cramer said: "I would have to check whether he has a release clause. As a rule, we don’t talk about the contents of contracts." Felix Nmecha reportedly has a clause worth €80 million.
Summer and winter plans
Turning to possible big-money sales after the season, Cramer said: "We will always be a club that develops players. That is part of the deal. We want to keep these players for as long as possible. I think we will be able to keep the squad together in the summer. We don’t want to let any players go. But we definitely won’t be able to prevent or avoid them."
As for potential new signings in the coming winter transfer window, he said: "Ole Book and Lars Ricken are looking every day and are ready to act at any time. I don’t want to rule anything out."
Saibari injury and messages
Saibari suffered a tear to the syndesmosis ligament in his right ankle after colliding with Gregor Kobel during Bayern Munich's match against Borussia Dortmund. The injury occurred in the 26th minute. Staff helped Saibari to the dressing room, and he later left the stadium on crutches.
On Sunday, Kobel wished Saibari well via his Instagram story. Kobel's message read: "I’m sorry to see this. I wish you all the best. Get well soon, Ismael!" Saibari replied: "Thanks. I appreciate it!"
