Shock at Dortmund: Kehl out as sporting director - replacement already lined up?

Out of nowhere, Borussia Dortmund have dropped a bombshell - Sebastian Kehl is no longer the club's sporting director.

In a move that caught German media completely off guard, Dortmund confirmed a mutual agreement to part ways with Kehl, ending his nearly four-year spell in the role. The timing raised eyebrows, especially with Kehl having spoken just a day earlier about plans for the upcoming transfer window.

There had been some background noise - interest from Hamburger SV - but nothing to suggest such a swift and decisive exit was imminent.

Ironically, Kehl had recently addressed transfer activity, including speculation linking Dortmund with a summer return for Jadon Sancho.

"I've been travelling, holding talks and preparing for the summer," he said earlier this week. "It was a positive trip. I won't speak about names yet, we'll see how things develop."

He likely didn't expect developments to move quite this fast.

A former Dortmund captain who spent 13 seasons at the club, Kehl had been part of the executive structure since 2018 and took over as sporting director in 2022. During his tenure, he helped shape the squad that reached the Champions League final just two seasons ago.

But at the Signal Iduna Park offices, the feeling was clear: time for change.

"In a very open conversation, we agreed that this summer is the right moment," said CEO Lars Ricken. "To give both sides time to prepare, we reached a mutual decision to end Sebastian’s tenure."

And Dortmund may not be wasting any time. Reports in Germany suggest the club have already made contact with Markus Krosche of Eintracht Frankfurt, widely regarded as one of the Bundesliga's sharpest operators in recent years.