Were Dortmund too stingy? This non-transfer is a real regret for BVB

Yahoo

08-06-2025

It's the 79th minute at the Stuttgart MHP Arena. Rayan Cherki receives a relatively hard, bumpy pass from Kylian Mbappé on his right foot. France's number 25 controls the ball, doesn't think twice, and shoots the ball with his left foot in a volley that is unstoppable for the Spanish goalkeeper.
What's special about this goal? For 21-year-old Rayan Cherki, it's his first game for France's A-national team, and it would have been the perfect debut if the Équipe Tricolore had turned the game around in the 4-5 spectacle. Cherki was only substituted in the 63rd minute and showed in the remaining playing time why he is in such high demand.
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Especially in Dortmund, one might have watched his performance with tears in their eyes. The transfer odyssey between BVB and Cherki could now backfire tragically for the Black and Yellows. But did the Dortmund team do anything wrong? Or did they?
Almost every day in the winter, there were reports of a possible transfer of Cherki to BVB. Sometimes the deal was almost done, and sometimes the transfer threatened to burst. One thing is certain: Cherki sparked desires, and BVB was the club that showed the most interest in the Frenchman, while top clubs kept a low profile.
The trend at the end of the winter transfer window was towards a transfer. Rayan Cherki was ready for the next step and, according to information from 'Sky', also had a verbal agreement with his club Olympique Lyon that he could leave the Lyonnais for 22.5 million euros. Contractually agreed exit clauses, as known in Germany, are prohibited in France.
However, Lyon boss John Textor put a spoke in the wheel of this seemingly secure transfer and also ranted against BVB: "The offer from Dortmund was communicated disrespectfully, was far below market value, and came at the wrong time." The BVB offer of over 22.5 million euros came at the end of the transfer period, and the market value of the Frenchman was around 30 million euros in the winter, with an upward trend.
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Was BVB too sloppy to sign the up-and-coming superstar? As BVB made clear to Sky, they had already submitted several offers to Lyon beforehand. But probably, Sebastian Kehl & Co. in Dortmund were too stingy and gave too much importance to the verbal agreement between Cherki and Lyon.
That BVB couldn't or didn't want to make a better offer for a player who perfectly fits the transfer prey scheme could cost the Dortmund team dearly.
Cherki played a strong second half at Lyon and now has a market value of 45 million euros (source: 'transfermarkt.de'), and real top clubs have entered the transfer poker. According to 'L'Equipe', Manchester City is following the BVB path and has probably made an offer of over 22.5 million euros, while transfer expert Fabrizio Romano assumes a transfer fee of 30 million euros plus bonus payments.
Romano even announced the completion of the transfer between Manchester City and Cherki. The Frenchman himself also hinted at a transfer. "Yes, it's almost done. But you know my answer, everyone knows it. There's still a game to play. Now we want to have fun and give everything, but after that, it's done," he said to 'Telefoot'.
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One way or another: BVB is now probably out of the running for top striker Rayan Cherki, although BVB (half a year ago) seemed like the perfect station for the Frenchman. If Manchester City gets the offensive player for the transfer fee mentioned by Romano, the BVB family will likely be annoyed about the wrong stinginess. If Cherki goes for the verbal agreement of 22.5 million euros, the Dortmund team has every reason to accuse Lyon boss John Textor of foul play.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.
📸 THOMAS KIENZLE - AFP or licensors