Should Dortmund Seriously Look to Sign Monaco’s Kylian Mbappe?

It’s an understatement to say it was a rocky week for Borussia Dortmund. Not only was BVB vanquished twice - 4-1 loss to Bayern and a 3-2 loss to Monaco - but a terrorist attack severely derailed the team emotionally.

Finding a silver lining in the midst of one of Dortmund’s darkest weeks can be difficult if not impossible. However, in the loss to Monaco on Wednesday, less than 24 hours after their team bus was attacked, Dortmund proved it could persevere even when its down.

The loss to Monaco, though, was anything but positive as three road goals have the Ligue 1 leaders firmly in the driver’s seat. Two of the goals came off the foot of Kylian Mbappe, the young French striker who is widely sought after by many European clubs.

Manchester City, another interested party, also saw first-hand Mbappe’s skill and the damage he can inflict on opponents. Dortmund has another unique opportunity to scout Mbappe. Playing against him, BVB can figure out his distinct strengths and weaknesses, determine how to help him improve, and look to make other additions which could support his style of play.

Bayern Munich is also looking to secure Mbappe this summer in an attempt to bolster its attack and give support to Robert Lewandowski up top. The last major French star Bayern scouted was Ousmane Dembele, now a member of BVB. Mbappe is another opportunity for Dortmund to sign a premier young star ahead of its Bundesliga rival.

Not only would it be incredible if Dortmund brought in Mbappe, but it would also make sense for the player. Clearly, Dortmund possesses a “win-later” mentality by courting various young stars in an attempt to form a super-team in less than half a decade; which, as of now, seems entirely likely. For a player like Mbappe who desires success, it would be a no-brainer.

That doesn’t even begin to touch on the fact that Dortmund is famous for developing young talent. Look at some of the current members of Dortmund like Christian Pulisic, Jacob Bruun-Larsen, Dzenis Burnic and Felix Passlack. These four players have all become clinically gifted players thanks to their time in the BVB Academy. Although Mbappe certainly wouldn’t be seeing minutes at the academy level, his development would be expedited even further.

Mbappe would be a perfect fit in the Dortmund attacking scheme given his speed and individual style. As a versatile forward, Mbappe possesses explosive pace and incrdible agility. One major quality Mbappe owns is his ability to spread the play and anticipate options in attack. Despite questions of strength and consistency, Mbappe will undoubtedly be one of the top forwards in Europe by the time he reaches his prime.

The one major obstacle for Dortmund in acquiring Mbappe is his hefty cost. Monaco has indicated that they will sell Mbappe for an immense amount of money, something Dortmund cannot afford. The fee is said to be somewhere in the ballpark of $106 Million, or slightly over €100 Million. To be brutally honest, the fee is simply insane and only a few clubs in the world could meet the offer.

One of those clubs is Real Madrid which has also expressed interest in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. If Real poaches Aubameyang away from Dortmund for what would be a similar fee to Mbappe, then Dortmund could potentially afford the Monaco forward.

As I’ve written before, letting Aubameyang leave would be a poor decision. The Gabonese striker is not expendable and his loss would not only be detrimental to the Dortmund attack but to the locker room as well. His experience and leadership is invaluable to the club and his influence off the field would be missed as much as his influence on the pitch.

Now, if Real Madrid signs Mbappe, which is likely, it still affects Dortmund positively. Adding Mbappe would leave Alvaro Morata out of the mix and could force the Spaniard on the transfer list. Morata has previously drawn interest from BVB and could be a welcome addition to BVB’s attack. But it’s clear the priority from Dortmund is Mbappe.

Another interesting element to the saga is Mbappe’s desire to stay in Monaco for another season. Both Real Madrid and Dortmund play in sizable stadiums with electric and critical fan-bases. Mbappe has even hinted that he might not be ready for a move away from Monaco and would like to play more than one season there.

So just how can Dortmund possibly afford to meet Monaco’s demands for Mbappe? Sell, sell, sell will have to be the policy this summer in order to do so. BVB have already secured Omer Toprak and Mahmoud Dahoud, both of which weren’t overly expensive.

Dortmund would then have to unload several out-of-favor players and maybe even one or two players the squad would be reluctant to lose. As is the case with every sport, it’s impossible to keep everyone when looking to add a star from a monetary standpoint. So although there would be a couple departures fans would definitely object to, it would have to be necessary if Mbappe comes to Dortmund.

It’s clear Mbappe will cost a lot more than just a hefty fee, but it’s the price any club must be willing to pay to claim Europe’s hottest commodity. If Dortmund wants Mbappe, they need to be willing to dole out some serious cash and get rid of a few players to compensate that fee.

Dortmund should most definitely go after Mbappe this summer. Not only would it virtually guarantee future success for the club, but it’s also a perfect addition to an attack-oriented lineup.