Malik Jakupovic in BVB's sights, but Philadelphia Union say no | OneFootball

There was no shortage of excitement at Borussia Dortmund right up to the end of the recent summer transfer window. While the last-minute loan signing of Ethan Nwaneri meant a short-term replacement could still be brought in for Giannis Konstantelias, who is sidelined with a knee injury, BVB apparently failed to lure a highly promising attacking talent from the United States to Dortmund.

As reported by U.S. journalist José Roberto Nuñez, BVB saw a summer bid for Malik Jakupovic rejected by Philadelphia Union. According to the report, the MLS club turned down an offer from Dortmund for the 17-year-old forward in order to keep one of its biggest talents at the club.

Jakupovic, meanwhile, can continue developing in familiar surroundings and is already getting playing time in MLS. In the current 2026 season, which is played over the calendar year, the 1.91-meter center forward has so far made seven appearances off the bench, recording one goal and one assist. At the same time, Jakupovic regularly features for the second team, posting three goals and one assist in 17 MLS Next Pro matches.

Contract until 2030 plus extension option

Provided his development continues at the same rate, quite a few experts believe it is only a matter of time before Jakupovic ends up in Europe. That is also because 13 goals in ten youth international matches for the United States (U16 and U17) is an impressive return that has drawn attention elsewhere as well. Including in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where the federation still hopes to convince the talent, who has Bosnian roots, to commit to them.

Photo: IMAGO

BVB and other clubs will likely be keeping a close eye on Jakupovic’s next steps. However, any renewed approach would almost certainly require fresh talks with Philadelphia Union, as the youngster remains under contract there until 2030, including an option for a further season.

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