Sebastian Kehl Reportedly in Pole Position to Replace Sporting Director Michael Zorc

Borussia Dortmund legend and current Player License Department Director Sebastian Kehl is reportedly in the pole position to take over for Sporting Director Michael Zorc, once the latter’s contract expires in 2022. According to SportBild’s print edition, even though BVB CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke hasn’t made any official announcements, they’re treating it practically as an inevitability internally:

By this summer, the bosses around Hans-Joachim Watzke want to decide who will inherit Michael Zorc as sporting director. Internally, one thing is clear: Sebastian Kehl, whom Zorc presented in 2018 as a “king transfer” for the newly created position of head of the licensed players department, is to take over the job from 2022.

Sebastian Kehl initially joined the Borussia Dortmund Front Office during the spring of 2018, mostly to act as an intermediary between the players, the coaching staff, and the front office. Since then, however, his role in sporting decisions and the club’s inner operations has grown. He’s received widespread praise across the club for his handling of the Coronavirus epidemic. He’s developed a positive working relationship with Scouting Director Markus Pilawa and has done his best to learn the finer details of the transfer market, although according to Watzke, he still has work to do, especially when it comes to developing relationships with scouts.

Michael Zorc has been one of the most instrumental figures in maintaining Borussia Dortmund’s competitiveness over the last few years. He’s been responsible for major acquisitions like Erling Haaland, Jadon Sancho, and Jude Bellingham. When Sebastian Kehl eventually takes over for him, he will have massive shoes to fill. To Hans-Joachim Watzke, there may be no better replacement than a club legend.