Former Dortmund man Brunner impresses: breakthrough at last? | OneFootball

Since leaving BVB, Paris Brunner has been searching for his big breakthrough. Now, during preseason with AS Monaco, the 20-year-old is sending strong signals — and has his coach raving.

Four goals in just three friendlies: that is how Brunner has presented himself ahead of the new season. The former BVB youngster delivered the highlight against Liverpool, when he powered in the 3–2 winner with a header at the near post following a corner. After two mixed years in senior football, the attacker looks more settled again.

His coach, Filipe Luís, has taken careful note of his form — and is making no secret of it. “That’s exactly what I like: he’s making it hard for me to pick the starting eleven,” the 41-year-old said about his player. Brunner is “hungry, always comes into the game with a lot of commitment and energy, and is desperate to score,” Luís continued. The coach called the headache the lineup is currently giving him “the best thing that can happen.”

From exceptional talent to waiting in the wings

Photo: IMAGO

The road to this point has been bumpy. Brunner was regarded as one of Germany’s biggest talents: a world and European champion at youth level, top scorer and best player at both tournaments, and also a Fritz Walter Medal gold winner. But he achieved all of those successes in youth football. His breakthrough at professional level has yet to come.

In the summer of 2024, talks over a future at Strobelallee collapsed. Brunner, then only 18, is said to have demanded a place in the first-team squad. Then sporting director Sebastian Kehl expressed regret over his departure: “We would have liked to tie Paris to Borussia Dortmund for the long term, but unfortunately he did not want to follow the path we had laid out for him,” Kehl explained. That ultimately led to his move to Monaco.

There, he was initially sent on loan to Cercle Brugge. A muscle tear kept him out for around two months during the 2024/25 season, but in the relegation battle he still scored six times — including a brace in the first leg of the playoff, which secured survival. Notably, in 28 appearances he managed only 1,083 minutes on the pitch. After returning to Monaco, it became even less. In the 2025/26 campaign, he made just seven appearances and played 127 minutes before a thigh injury stopped him again.

Strong competition in attack

Whether this strong preseason will lead to a turning point remains open. The French side are well stocked in attack: Folarin Balogun has been linked with a move away, but could still stay. Then there are Mika Biereth, Ansu Fati, Takumi Minamino, and Matthis Abline, who was signed for €25 million.

But he is sending a message. And that is exactly what matters.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.