The money is tight, and striking options are few: Fullkrug is BVB's dream addition

Whether the BVB squad is well-balanced is being hotly debated in Dortmund these days, among fans, in the media and internally as well. Depending on the perspective, there is a need in central defence, where Nico Schlotterbeck, Mats Hummels, and Niklas Sule are top players, but only U23 player Antonios Papadopoulos is available as a trained alternative. Or on the right wing, where Julian Ryerson and Marius Wolf are vying for the starting spot, both rely more on physical attributes than skill.

Ramy Bensebaini is established on the left wing, but he will be unavailable for weeks in January and February due to his participation in the Africa Cup of Nations. Upfront, where Sebastien Haller is undoubtedly a top solution, but there's a lack of height behind him. Haller's challenger, Youssoufa Moukoko, stands at 1.79 meters, a different player type from the Ivorian striker. He, like Bensebaini, will also be in action at the AFCON.

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Since BVB's financial resources are limited - around $10 million is available - it has been clear for some time that improvements cannot be made everywhere. Especially since the squad is already large, and it's unlikely that there will be bids for high-earning players like Thorgan Hazard and Thomas Meunier, who are now playing secondary roles. So, Dortmund's decision-makers, including coach Edin Terzic, sporting director Sebastian Kehl, and club boss Hans-Joachim Watzke, had to prioritize - and it seems they have focused on the attacking side.

The reasoning behind this is understandable: Without Haller, the dynamics of BVB's attacking play change completely. Once Moukoko, who unquestionably possesses qualities in front of the goal, is on the field as a striker, long balls into the central attack are no longer effective. A target man is missing, someone who can either hold the ball to let teammates advance or distribute it further to fast players like Karim Adeyemi and Donyell Malen to exploit depth. To solve this problem, the signing of another forward is necessary.

Several names are currently being discussed at BVB, including German national team striker Niclas Fullkrug, who could leave Werder Bremen for around $20 million. However, whether Fullkrug would be satisfied with a backup role in the season leading up to the European Championship remains questionable.

Thus, at the moment, it's inevitable that things will remain exciting until the transfer deadline, which many BVB fans are likely to follow on their way to the stadium on Friday when their team hosts Bundesliga's new boys Heidenheim.