Dortmund's Transfer Dilemma: Guirassy and Adeyemi Futures at Stake

Borussia Dortmund’s summer is being shaped not on the pitch, but across a negotiating table.

Sporting director Ole Book and managing director Lars Ricken Guirassy have already sat down with Serhou Guirassy, laying out transfer plans and trying to convince the club’s top scorer to stay. They know exactly what they are up against: a contract to 2028, but with an exit clause of around €35 million for selected elite clubs. For a 30-year-old who scores at his current rate, that figure is both a lifeline and a looming threat.

Guirassy has not hidden the fact he is considering a move. The noise around him has grown louder in recent weeks, with reports linking him to Fenerbahce Istanbul. Presidential candidate Aziz Yildirim is even said to have a deal lined up with the former VfB Stuttgart striker if he wins this weekend’s 6–7 June election. The tug-of-war over Guirassy might be decided as much in a ballot box in Istanbul as in a boardroom in Dortmund.

Book has chosen his words carefully, but the message is clear.

"His goals make him incredibly important, so our stance is clear: we do not want to lose him. But if an exceptional offer arrives, we will consider it," he said.

That is the reality of BVB’s current model. Emotion says “keep him at all costs.” The balance sheet says something else.

Dortmund have already started to cash in. Joane Gadou has gone for €19.5 million, Kaua Prates for €7 million, Justin Lerma for €4 million. Those fees are not an end in themselves; they are the fuel for the next rebuild, especially in attack. Another forward is on the wishlist, but the money has to come from somewhere.

Karim Adeyemi sits right at the centre of that equation.

The 24-year-old is under contract until 2027. On paper, there is time. In practice, this summer looks decisive. If he does not extend, a sale becomes not just possible, but logical, the last window to secure a significant fee before the spectre of a free transfer in two years’ time.

Talks have hit a snag. Reports point to disagreements over salary and the wording of a possible release clause. Adeyemi, speaking to WAZ, pushed back on the idea that negotiations are simply about numbers.

"I have spoken out in support of Borussia Dortmund on many occasions and have always emphasised what I value about this club and how passionate I am about it," he said.

Then came the line that really matters in any contract story.

"Above all, it is important to me to receive a clear signal from the club – regardless of which way the decision ultimately goes."

The demand is not subtle: Adeyemi wants clarity. Dortmund, juggling Guirassy’s future and their broader transfer plans, must provide it.

There is another layer to all this: service. Keeping Guirassy is one thing; surrounding him with the right players is another. The report leaves open the question of who might supply him with even more chances if he stays. For weeks, rumours swirled about yet another attempt to bring Jadon Sancho back. The idea fit a certain romantic narrative, but reality has cut through that. Consistent media reports now describe a Sancho return as virtually off the table.

So Dortmund stand here: their main striker courted from abroad, their explosive wide forward at a contractual crossroads, their dream creator apparently out of reach.

Guirassy’s numbers underline why the club is fighting so hard to keep him. Sixty goals and 15 assists in 96 appearances for BVB. Twenty-two goals last season alone, making him Dortmund’s top scorer. Those are not just statistics; they are the foundation of a season, the difference between a title push and another year of what-ifs.

The question now is simple, and brutal: can Dortmund afford to sell in order to buy, without tearing out the very heart of their attack?