Borussia Dortmund is pursuing a clear plan for the U23s in the coming season. In addition to developing talent, the aim is to achieve promotion back to the 3rd league in the second attempt. With central defender Jesper Verlaat, BVB has now signed a new cornerstone for this project.
As the Westphalians announced on Friday, the 30-year-old defender is moving from 1860 Munich to Dortmund on a free transfer, where he will take on a leading role in the second team. His working paper with the Black and Yellows is dated until 2029.
“With Jesper we are gaining an experienced player for the defense center. He will be an important support for our young players on and off the pitch,” says Ingo Preuß, sporting director of the U23, about the new addition.
The newcomer is scheduled to start preparing for the season with his future teammates on June 21st. First, the two-day performance diagnostics are scheduled for BVB II, and work on the football field begins on June 23rd.
The new Regionalliga West season starts on the weekend around August 1st.
From Chaosklub 1860 Munich to BVB
Verlaat brings the experience of 239 third division games and 32 games in the 2nd Bundesliga to BVB. The Dutchman was most recently captain at 1860 Munich, where he hardly played due to various injuries last season.
Even before the drama surrounding the forced relegation, the Lions had decided against extending their contract in April. After four years on Grünwalder Straße, Verlaat was given an emotional farewell at 1860 in the season finale.
A little later, the big bang followed in Giesing: the Munich team could not meet the license conditions for the 3rd league because the club could not provide proof of coverage of the missing budget sum of 2.7 million.
The club cited investor Hasan Ismaik’s unfulfilled financing commitment as the reason, and as a consequence the 1966 champions had to move to the fourth division for the second time after 2017.