Dortmund Asia tour proceeds as Book stays in Germany

Sporting director Nils Ole Book will remain in Germany when Borussia Dortmund depart for their pre‑season marketing tour of Japan on Monday, according to reports by Westphalia’s Ruhr Nachrichten. The move keeps the club’s senior official on home soil while the squad travels abroad.

The decision follows unresolved transfer business, highlighted in a recent Get German Football News article that noted BVB have yet to complete deals for Konstantinos Karetsas or Said El Mala. Both targets are central to Dortmund’s summer agenda.

Borussia Dortmund have identified 18‑year‑old Greek international Konstantinos Karetsas as a potential replacement for the departed Julian Brandt and Karim Adeyemi. An initial round of direct talks with KRC Genk failed, but another Dortmund approach is expected shortly, with any successful deal likely to exceed €30 million.

The club’s pursuit of 19‑year‑old Said El Mala is less urgent but still active. Dortmund submitted an offer containing a guaranteed fee exceeding €30 million last week, yet the total package fell short of Köln’s €50 million valuation, prompting an immediate rejection. Dortmund believe the player currently favors a move to BVB and see no need to improve the offer immediately.

Book recently acknowledged that Dortmund would have preferred to sign an attacker by now, but emphasized that the club would not allow frustration to dictate its transfer decisions. His comments underline a measured approach despite the pressure to reinforce the attack.

Book’s absence from the Asia tour therefore signals that Dortmund hope to make progress on the two most important attacking negotiations while the squad are away. The sporting director’s presence in Germany underlines that the summer business remains unfinished.

For Borussia Dortmund, staying home allows Book to focus fully on the Karetsas and El Mala negotiations, potentially accelerating a breakthrough. For the players, the continued interest keeps the prospect of a move to BVB alive, pending a deal that satisfies both clubs.