The Daily Bee (July 5th, 2019): Diallo addresses transfer rumors and Subotic back in the Bundesliga

• Diallo addresses situation at BVB (L’Equipe)

Borussia Dortmund’s crowded situation at center-back has led to speculation that one (or more) of BVB’s central defenders could leave the club. Especially Abdou Diallo has been part of transfer rumors in recent days.

Talking to L’Equipe, Diallo has now somewhat refuted those claims:

“So far I have not been told clearly that I have to go.”

“I do not want to make a big fuss. We have to see if the vision is the same. And once we’re all on the same wavelength, we make a decision. I am waiting to see, to hear what people have to say to me, what they think of me.“

However he has also talked about the unfortunate fact that he had to play left back most of the time last season:

“For the sake of the team, I did it. I can be solid in the full-back positions, but I’m not Marcelo. It’s frustrating because you want to play the big games in a position where you can do the best. I’m a center-back (...). A few games on the wing are okay. But over several seasons, this is not my project.“

Diallo is already a very good center-back and can still develop but for now it seems like he’ll be behind Hummels and Akanji on the depth chart. BVB should try their best to keep him around but it might be tough with teams like PSG, which Diallo called an “interesting project” during the interview, showing interest.

• Zorc talks squad and title ambitions (Ruhr Nachrichten)

Michael Zorc answered some questions before BVB’s team practice and discussed several topics most notably BVB’s current roster and the title ambitions.

About Dortmund’s huge squad right now:

“The transfer window is just opened. As for selling players there will still be transfers in the next few weeks. A desired size for the squad does not exist. Last season, we had a relatively large squad in the first half of the season, because we also played a lot of competitive games, often at three-day intervals, and that did us quite well. Whether a player more or less is in the squad is not that crucial.“

Talking about their goal to win the Bundesliga next season:

“This attitude has emerged from last season, we have developed and communicated so promptly after the season. The last season is a huge motivation for us, we moved closer to the top and were more than half of the season leaders. It is also an obligation to tie in and try again to play the championship. That is the goal.”

• Subotic back in the Bundesliga

Former BVB center-back Neven Subotic is back in the Bundesliga! Subotic has signed a 2-year contract with the newly promoted team and will hopefully help them avoid immediate relegation again. The defender played for AS St. Etienne the past two seasons.

Subotic played from 2008-2017 for BVB and won two Bundesliga titles and two DFB Cups with the black and yellows.