Winter exit on the cards? BVB star set for imminent departure | OneFootball

A farewell is looming: A BVB player is on the verge of leaving Dortmund. A transfer to a Bundesliga rival is becoming increasingly concrete.

At Borussia Dortmund, a personnel change is emerging for the upcoming winter: Salih Özcan is apparently about to say goodbye to the Ruhr region. The midfielder currently plays no sporting role under the new head coach Niko Kovac and, according to a report by Sport Bild, could leave the club as early as January.

In the current 2025/26 Bundesliga season, the 27-year-old has only made three to four brief appearances, totaling around 20 minutes of playing time. He was not even included in the Champions League squad by Kovac—a clear sign that he no longer figures in the club's plans.

Özcan joined Dortmund from 1. FC Köln in the summer of 2022 for around five million euros. However, in roughly 88 competitive matches for BVB so far, he has never managed to establish himself as a regular starter. The competition in Dortmund’s midfield—with Marcel Sabitzer, Felix Nmecha, Pascal Groß, and Jobe Bellingham—is fierce, and Özcan is currently losing out.

His contract with BVB runs until summer 2026, which means another loan, like last season's to VfL Wolfsburg, is no longer an option. Instead, only a permanent transfer would be possible. According to Sport Bild, his former club 1. FC Köln is considered the hottest candidate for a return.

BVB star Özcan set for transfer to 1. FC Köln?

The Cologne native is a true product of Effzeh’s youth system, having gone through all the youth teams and making his professional debut in the cathedral city about nine years ago. He was already considered a possible departure candidate in the summer, but at that time he consciously chose to stay in Dortmund to fight for his place. Now, however, the time for a fresh start seems to have come.

In Cologne, Özcan would not only be welcomed for his sporting abilities, but according to reports, he would also play an important financial role: with an estimated annual salary of around four million euros, he would immediately become one of the top earners in the squad.

For Salih Özcan himself, a transfer is also highly significant with a view to the 2026 World Cup. The 26-time Turkish international wants to recommend himself for the tournament in the USA, Canada, and Mexico by getting regular playing time. At BVB, he currently lacks any prospects for this—a separation in winter therefore seems increasingly likely.

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