OPINION | Has Niklas Sule played his way to a future with Borussia Dortmund? | OneFootball

There’s no two ways around it when it comes to Niklas Süle’s time at Borussia Dortmund; it’s been a very mixed bag. Since joining the club in the summer of 2022, the former Hoffenheim and Bayern Munich defender has been blighted by injuries and suffered from fitness issues, which have made that free transfer from Bayern seem like less of a victory than it should have.

The expectation was that, alongside fellow signing Nico Schlotterbeck, they would form the main centre-back partnership for Dortmund for years to come. While Schlotterbeck, when fit, very quickly became a mainstay in defence, Süle’s struggles with fitness and injuries dictated that he often found himself behind Mats Hummels and Emre Can in the pecking order. Couple this with the turbulence and instability Dortmund have experienced in recent years, and you create the perfect storm to destabilise a player’s career.

This turbulence is a fact that Süle himself reckons with. In a recent interview with the club, Süle put his struggles into words, painting a picture of a player who understands that perhaps more was expected of him since he signed, but also a player looking to both improve; a player that is looking for someone to believe in the concept of him getting back to his very best.

“It’s been pretty turbulent here since I arrived in Dortmund, I have to say. But there have been highs too. People always talk about the lows, which is fine, because personally I had hoped for more in certain phases, and I’m sure the club did too… I still know what I’m capable of, but I’m still a player, always have been, who needs a bit of trust, who needs to feel that people believe in me, and sometimes things like this happen because someone else is out and you have to wait for your chance, as has been the case recently, and it’s always up to you what you make of that opportunity. I’m very, very happy right now that things are going well in that way and that I can play my part in helping us win games”

If we look at the last few weeks since Schlotterbeck sustained his season ending injury, it’s safe to say that Süle’s performances have been trending in the right direction. His form has been impressive and he’s played a very central role in terms of helping propel Dortmund back into Champions League contention.

Can Niklas Sule continue to develop at Borussia Dortmund?

Under Niko Kovač, a coach Süle is very familiar with from his time at Bayern, the German international has had a renaissance where he’s found the form that made him such an enticing defensive option when he signed. From dishing out chance-stopping tackles the way he did in his tussle with Raphinha during the club’s second leg against Barcelona in the Champions League, to putting his body on the line in games across the Bundesliga the way he did against Alassane Pléa and Borussia Mönchengladbach (one of many solid performances), to even pushing forward the way he did this past weekend against Wolfsburg and getting the pre-assist for Guirassy’s opener, the thought of Süle having a Dortmund resurgence has far more credence than one would have expected just a couple months ago.

It is perhaps Kovač’s faith in the player that has helped Süle regain form. In the absence of Schlotterbeck, Kovač and the club looked to him again, and he’s certainly taken his chance. In an interview speaking directly about Süle, Kovač shares his faith in the player without mincing words:

“In Munich, Niki was a regular with me. He always played actually…he has outstanding talent. He’s fast, technically strong, and has great vision. When he’s fit, he’s one of Germany’s best central defenders!”

With Kovač seemingly likely to stay at the helm with Dortmund after battling the club back into potential Champions League qualification, there may be a place for Süle at Dortmund next season, but these performances alone are not the only topic to discuss. The player’s current wages, reportedly between €10m-€14m, are also something to take into account. If the player is willing to negotiate a performance based contract with bonuses, keeping Süle becomes advantageous to Dortmund as they can keep their solid depth in defence, which under Kovač seems to be becoming far more reliant on having additional center backs as the club has shifted to a back three more permanently under him.

With Süle, Schlotterbeck, Waldemar Anton, Ramy Bensebaini, and possibly the prospect of signing a young player for the future on the cards this summer, Dortmund can focus their attention to construction areas that are in more dire need of revamping, such as the midfield. A cohesive midfield setup would take much of the pressure off of Süle and Co., and in effect lead to better performances as a whole.

Under the right circumstances, I’m a firm believer that there is more to the story between Niklas Süle and Borussia Dortmund than has been written to date. If things continue to go in a positive trajectory, the club and player have a chance to finally hit the heights that were expected when he joined in 2022 and write a special chapter in both the club’s history and player’s career.

GGFN | Brian Szlenk