Steffen Freund criticises BVB signings: ‘Average names at best’ | OneFootball

He wore the black-and-yellow shirt for six years. Steffen Freund (56) won the Champions League, the Intercontinental Cup, and two German championships with Borussia Dortmund. “At home, BVB can show any club who’s boss,” the 1996 European champion is convinced.

Freund is not 100 percent convinced by Borussia’s new signings this season, as he writes for Absolut Fussball. He says he is “somewhat surprised” by how Konstantinos Karetsas (18), Giannis Konstantelias (23), and Joey Veerman (27) are already being celebrated. His verdict is quite clear: “There’s no one among them who already has international class.”

The 21-time Germany international also criticizes the transfer fees for BVB’s newcomers: “And yet double-digit million sums were paid for each of them. I remember times when Sebastian Kehl also made bold and expensive signings, and those signings were praised early on — but at the end of the season, you had to admit that not all of them turned out to be as good a fit as expected.”

At least Freund concedes that the players have “a lot of potential for development.” In his opinion, Karetsas and Konstantelias will “quickly reach Bundesliga level.” But he is by no means convinced that the Greek duo will one day “belong among the Bundesliga’s top players.” That, he says, “cannot yet be answered.”

He rates the Dutchman Veerman more highly, however. “He is 27 and comes from PSV Eindhoven, so there is already more experience at the highest level there to hit the ground running straight away.” Overall, though, Freund’s conclusion for BVB sporting director Ole Book (40) is not particularly flattering: “In terms of names, it’s only average.”

Regret over failed El Mala transfer

The former international, who also played in the Premier League for Tottenham Hotspur, would have liked to see Said El Mala (20) in Borussia’s ranks. But for now, the attacking jewel will remain at 1. FC Köln. “If El Mala had come, BVB would have made an absolute top transfer. He has already established himself in the Bundesliga, and his next step would be European class.” As is well known, however, the left winger extended his contract in Cologne until 2031.

Photo: Pau Barrena/Getty Images

Freund believes Felix Nmecha will play a decisive role next season. The 25-year-old is the “key player” in Niko Kovac’s (54) team. “He could take off so much that BVB might not be able to keep him next season,” he says, not ruling out a departure next year. “He will become a goal threat and dominate midfield with his physical presence.”

As in the previous season, Freund expects Borussia Dortmund to finish in second place. But he does not believe BVB can “pose a threat” to Bayern Munich.

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