By SABC Sport
20th December 2024
The Premier League giants were poised to make a significant move for the Swiss goalkeeper if Dortmund failed to secure a Champions League spot, which they ultimately did not achieve.
Kobel, who is contracted until 2028, would command a hefty transfer fee, speculated to be between 60-80 million euros. Dortmund originally secured Kobel from Stuttgart for 15 million back euros in 2021.
Meanwhile, Chelsea's current goalkeepers, Robert Sanchez and Filip Jorgensen, have been sharing duties between the posts.
On the wings, Dortmund's young talent, Jamie Gittens, has been turning heads. The 20-year-old has made significant strides this season, becoming a regular starter under coach Nuri Sahin.
With nine goals and four assists in 22 appearances, his performances have not gone unnoticed by other clubs. However, Dortmund's managing director for sport, Lars Ricken, has firmly stated his intent to keep Gittens at the club.
In response to a hypothetical 50 million euro offer, Ricken told Sport Bild, "I wouldn't hang up immediately because that's not my character. But I would respectfully decline." He emphasized the club's desire to develop and retain high-quality players like Gittens, who is under contract until 2028.
In another note from the transfer market, Ricken revealed Dortmund's past interest in Bayer Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz during his youth days at FC Koln.
"Yes, we would have liked to have brought him to BVB back then. As a very young player, he was already a top talent, so every good scouting department should have known his name," Ricken admitted.
Despite friendly discussions with Wirtz's father, Leverkusen won the race for his signature in January 2020.
This story paints a vivid picture of the transfer dynamics involving some of Dortmund's brightest stars, highlighting the club's ambitions both on and off the pitch.