Dortmund's Transfer Dilemma: Guirassy and Adeyemi Futures at Stake

Borussia Dortmund’s summer is being shaped not on the training pitch, but across meeting rooms and contract drafts. Two forwards, two very different situations, one clear theme: every major move depends on what happens next with Serhou Guirassy and Karim Adeyemi.

Guirassy courted, but Dortmund push to keep their No. 9

Sporting director Ole Book and managing director Lars Ricken Guirassy have already sat down with Guirassy, laying out their transfer plans and trying to convince the 30-year-old that his future still lies in black and yellow.

They know exactly what they are trying to protect.

Guirassy’s contract runs until 2028, yet an exit clause hangs over the entire discussion. For selected top clubs, he can leave for around €35 million. In today’s market, that is a tempting figure for any side hunting goals.

He has been open for some time about weighing up a move. Fenerbahce Istanbul have emerged as the latest serious suitor, with reports in Turkey linking him to presidential candidate Aziz Yildirim, who is said to have agreed a transfer with the former VfB Stuttgart striker if he wins this weekend’s 6–7 June election.

Dortmund cannot ignore that noise, and Book has stopped short of offering any iron-clad assurances.

“His goals make him incredibly important, so our stance is clear: we do not want to lose him. But if an exceptional offer arrives, we will consider it,” he said.

That line says everything. Dortmund want Guirassy. They also know they might have to sell.

The numbers explain why. Guirassy has hit 60 goals and 15 assists in 96 appearances for BVB, and his 22 league goals last season made him Dortmund’s top scorer. You do not replace that output easily, or cheaply.

There had been talk of one familiar face returning to help feed him. A fresh move for Jadon Sancho had been floated in recent weeks as a way to stack even more service behind Guirassy. That idea has faded fast. Consistent reports now describe a Sancho comeback as virtually off the table.

So Dortmund’s pitch to Guirassy is simple: stay, remain the focal point, and trust the club to build around you. The question is whether that is enough when a release clause and a major foreign offer are in play.

Adeyemi contract stand-off could fund next wave of signings

While Guirassy weighs up his options, Adeyemi sits at the heart of another delicate equation.

BVB are heavily reliant on transfer income to reshape the squad, particularly if they want to bring in another attacker. They have already cashed in on Joane Gadou (€19.5m), Kaua Prates (€7m) and Justin Lerma (€4m). That money is a start, not a solution.

Adeyemi could be the key that unlocks the next phase.

The 24-year-old is under contract until 2027. If he does not extend, a sale this summer suddenly becomes less a strategic choice and more a financial necessity. Wait too long, and Dortmund risk watching him walk away for nothing.

Talks, though, have hit a wall. Reports point to disagreements over salary and the wording of a possible release clause. Adeyemi pushed back on that narrative in an interview with WAZ, insisting he has repeatedly spoken up for Borussia Dortmund and underlined what he values about the club and his passion for it.

At the same time, he made his own demand clear: he wants a firm signal from the club about their intentions, “regardless of which way the decision ultimately goes.”

So both sides wait. Dortmund, wary of losing a valuable asset on a free in a few years’ time. Adeyemi, waiting to see if the club truly sees him as central to their future or as a saleable piece in a tight market.

A squad built on sales, a season shaped by two decisions

Strip away the noise and the picture is stark.

Dortmund need sales to buy. They want to keep their leading scorer. They must decide what to do with a talented winger whose contract clock is ticking. Sancho is almost certainly out of the equation. Fenerbahce are circling Guirassy. Adeyemi’s camp is waiting by the phone.

Two signatures – one on a release clause trigger, another on a contract extension or transfer agreement – could define BVB’s attacking landscape for years.

Who blinks first?