At Signal Iduna Park, nobody wants to be caught staring at the rear-view mirror when the back line gets ripped apart.
Borussia Dortmund’s hierarchy has already moved into prevention mode. With uncertainty swirling around Nico Schlotterbeck and Niklas Süle expected to depart, BVB are pushing hard to secure one of Ligue 1’s most coveted young defenders: Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal of Rennes.
Dortmund brace for a defensive reset
Sporting director Ole Book has identified the 19-year-old as a priority piece in what increasingly looks like a full-scale rebuild at centre-back. This is not a speculative punt on a teenager. Inside the club, Ait Boudlal is being treated as a key target around whom the next defensive era could be built.
His reputation has accelerated quickly. Ait Boudlal is under contract at Rennes until 2028 and is widely regarded as one of the standout young defenders in France. His profile has been sharpened further by a remarkable twist at international level: he was part of Morocco’s Africa Cup of Nations-winning squad, with the title ultimately confirmed via a legal ruling after the tournament. He barely featured on the pitch, making just one brief senior appearance so far, but the medal on his CV has not gone unnoticed across Europe.
Dortmund know what comes next. Interest is growing, the valuation is climbing, and heavyweight clubs are circling. Move now, or pay a premium later.
Schlotterbeck saga forces Dortmund’s hand
The urgency stems from one name above all: Schlotterbeck.
The Germany international has been a fixture in the Dortmund XI, a central piece in recent seasons. Yet protracted contract talks have dragged on without resolution, leaving the club’s leadership stuck in limbo. Sections of the fanbase have grown increasingly irritated by the drawn-out nature of the situation and the public debate around his long-term commitment.
Dortmund cannot afford to wait and hope. If Schlotterbeck decides to walk away in search of a new challenge, the gap he leaves will be enormous. The recruitment department would then be under intense pressure to deliver a replacement capable of anchoring a Champions League-level defence from day one.
The message from upstairs is clear: be ready before the worst-case scenario hits.
Süle exit compounds the problem
As if one major question mark at centre-back were not enough, Süle is widely expected to leave in the summer window. The former Bayern Munich defender brings size, experience and a certain authority in the dressing room. Losing that profile strips Dortmund of not just a body, but a presence.
Combine the likely departure of Süle with the uncertainty around Schlotterbeck, and the scale of the problem becomes obvious. This is not a minor tweak. It is the potential dismantling of the club’s central defensive core.
For Book, that means thinking in multiples. Ait Boudlal may be the headline pursuit, but he cannot be the only one. BVB are already casting a wide net, with several names under active consideration as they plan a new-look back line.
Wide scouting net, clear defensive priorities
Among the options being tracked are Marcos Senesi and Joane Gadou, both regularly linked in recent months. The scouting team has ramped up its work across Europe, testing the market, assessing prices, and trying to position Dortmund ahead of rivals who are also hunting for top-level defenders.
The strategy is obvious: secure a high-upside talent like Ait Boudlal early, then layer in further reinforcements who bring either experience, different physical profiles, or immediate leadership. If Schlotterbeck stays, Dortmund will have depth and competition. If he goes, they at least have a succession plan in motion rather than a scramble in late August.
Either way, the club does not intend to be reactive.
A new look in attack as well
The rebuild will not stop at the back. Inside Dortmund, there is a growing desire to reshape the attack and return to a more traditional wide-game identity: proper wingers, chalk on the boots, stretch-the-pitch football.
The current squad, in the eyes of the decision-makers, lacks enough natural wide men to execute that vision. That has pushed BVB towards a different type of target list, one that includes dynamic young wingers capable of beating their man and opening space for the forwards.
Diego Moreira of Strasbourg has emerged as one such option. Under contract until 2029, he is exploring the next step of his career, and his profile fits almost perfectly with what Dortmund want on the flanks: pace, directness, and room to grow.
The club’s plan is clear. Refresh the defence with hungry, high-ceiling talents like Ait Boudlal, reinforce the back line with at least one more centre-back, and at the same time retool the attack to rediscover a more expansive, wing-driven style.
Dortmund know this summer will shape the spine and the soul of their next team. The only question now is whether they can move fast enough, and decisively enough, to turn a looming crisis into the foundation of their next great side.
