BVB transfer collapses: goalkeeper joins for a record fee | OneFootball

Borussia Dortmund have missed out in the race for Mio Backhaus. Instead of joining BVB, the Germany U21 international goalkeeper is moving to SC Freiburg for a record fee.

SC Freiburg have signed one of Germany’s most sought-after young goalkeepers. Germany U21 international Mio Backhaus is joining from Werder Bremen and is expected to succeed Noah Atubolu, who wants to leave the Europa League finalists.

Freiburg are paying a hefty sum for the 22-year-old. According to media reports, the transfer fee, including possible bonuses, could reach as much as €15 million – more than the club has ever spent on a player before. The previous record stood at €10 million for Baptiste Santamaria in 2020.

Borussia Dortmund are also said to have taken a close look at Mio Backhaus. According to information from Deichstube, the Germany U21 international was considered a possible long-term solution at BVB. In addition, Ruhr Nachrichten recently reported that backup goalkeeper Diant Ramaj could leave the club again after his loan spell.

BVB miss out: Mio Backhaus joins Freiburg

In the end, however, SC Freiburg won the race for the German-Japanese player. A key factor may also have been the sporting perspective: while Gregor Kobel is the undisputed number one in Dortmund, Backhaus is likely to be brought in as Freiburg’s new first-choice goalkeeper right away. Alongside BVB, Bayer Leverkusen, Brighton & Hove Albion, as well as Inter and AC Milan, were also recently linked with an interest.

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Backhaus himself said of his move: “A door opened for me where I feel I fit through perfectly.” Among the decisive factors for him were the environment, the people at the club, and the prospect of playing in European competition. The goalkeeper joined Werder Bremen from Alemannia Aachen in 2018 and later gained valuable experience during a loan spell at FC Volendam.

After Michael Zetterer’s departure, Backhaus finally got his chance in Bremen and impressed in his first Bundesliga season with consistently strong performances in 32 appearances. Bremen have already responded to his departure by signing Karl Hein, who had previously been on loan, on a permanent deal from Arsenal FC. The purchase option is said to be around €3 million.

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