Dortmund interested in signing Bremen’s Thomas Delaney

After missing out in 2014, Denmark will be back at the World Cup this summer. The main reason for the Dane’s return to Russia is Christian Eriksen, but they are not a one-man-team. Thomas Delaney also played a crucial role in Denmark’s push for World Cup qualification.

The midfielder was also one of Werder Bremen’s best players during a season in which they at one point had to fight against relegation, but ultimately turned things around. His impressive performances are now attracting attention from elsewhere...including Dortmund.

According to RN, BILD, and even Kicker, Dortmund are interested in signing Delaney after the Bundesliga season ends. Here’s a translation of RN’s article:

According to this editorial, the Dane is actually flirting with a change in the Ruhr area. England, especially Brighton & Hove Albion, has long been considered his preferred destination for a change this summer, but Borussia Dortmund also has a certain appeal. This is heard from Bremen circles.

According to Bremen, BVB should strive for a speedy transfer - because the price for Delaney, if he could play a good World Cup in Russia, could increase significantly. At 15 million euros could be the pain threshold for the 26-year-olds. That would not be the biggest obstacle for BVB.

The fact that all three of RN, Bild, and Kicker are reporting this means that it’s definitely credible. It’s also a signing that would make sense because of Delaney’s price and position.

He primarily plays as a defensive midfielder. He’s a bit of an old fashioned #6, which BVB severely lacked at times this season. Peter Stöger’s side could have really used another line of defense in front of their center-backs.

Delaney is only 26-years-old and is available for a relatively cheap fee. This season, the Dane provided 3 goals and 4 assists, which is an impressive return for a player from a defensive position. He’s not the biggest defensive midfielder ever, but he’s still quite strong in the air and in a tackle.

I’m not sure Dortmund and Brighton have ever battled for the same player, but the Seagulls being interested is not as odd as it seems. They did quite well in their first season of Premier League football, partially because of the success of Pascal Groß, who they signed from Ingolstadt last summer.

If Delaney does come to BVB, then this transfer could mean a lot to Julian Weigl, who is coming off a poor season by his standards. It could mean that he’s sold, or it could just mean that he would have some extra competition in the squad next year, which might be exactly what the 22-year-old needs.

Bremen haven’t committed to selling Delaney, but at that price it seems like he’ll definitely be on the move in this coming transfer window.