Controversial transfer
Borussia Dortmund made Felix Nmecha’s signing perfect. The 22-year-old moves from VfL Wolfsburg to the Westfalenstadion and has signed a contract until 2028, as BVB announced on Monday. According to “Sky”, the 22-year-old costs between 30 million and 32 million euros including bonuses and is therefore significantly more than assumed at the beginning of the negotiations – he is one of the most expensive additions in BVB history. Initially, there was talk of a fee in the range of EUR 15m to EUR 20m, but the “Wolves” were not willing to compromise and prevailed.
The one-time German national player was mainly used in attacking midfield in Wolfsburg, but can also play in the “eight”, the position of Jude Bellingham, who switched to Real Madrid for 103 million euros. Nmecha is Dortmund’s second commitment for the new season after Ramy Bensebaini and is said to not have been the last – further reinforcements for midfield and external defense are being considered.
Baumgartner, Guerreiro & Co.: Top Bundesliga transfers in summer 2023
Cédric Zesiger | Young Boys -> Wolfsburg | Market value: €5.5 million
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Transfer fee: €5 million
(In this gallery, arrivals and departures are taken into account and listed according to market value or transfer fee, whichever is higher. As of July 1, 2023)
Julian Chabot | Sampdoria -> 1. FC Cologne | Market value: €5.5 million
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Transfer fee: €2.5 million (purchase option)
Omar Marmoush | Wolfsburg -> Entry Frankfurt | Market value: €6 million
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free transfer
Florian Grillitsch | Ajax -> Hoffenheim | Market value: €6.5 million
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free transfer
Alex Kral | Spartak -> Union | Market value: €7 million
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Free loan (FIFA special transfer regulation)
Arthur | America FC -> Bayer 04 | Transfer fee: €7 million
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Market value: €5 million
Moritz Jenz FC Lorient -> Wolfsburg | Transfer fee: €8 million
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Market value: €7.5 million
Junior Adamu | RB Salzburg -> SC Freiburg | Market value: €8 million
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Transfer fee: €6 million
Ansgar Knauff | BVB -> E. Frankfurt | Market value: €8 million
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Transfer fee: €5 million
Vaclav Cerny | Twente -> Wolfsburg | Transfer fee: €8 million
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Market value: €8 million
Angelo Fulgini | Mainz 05 -> RC Lens | Market value: €9 million
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Transfer fee: €7.2 million (obligatory purchase)
Hugo Larson | Malmo FF -> E. Frankfurt | Market value: €9 million
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Transfer fee: €9 million
Julian Weigl | Benfica -> Gladbach | Market value: €10 million
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Transfer fee: €7.2 million
Junior Dina Ebimbe | PSG -> Frankfurt | Market value: €10 million
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Transfer fee: €6.5 million
Willian Pacho | Royal Antwerp -> E. Frankfurt | Market value: €11 million
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Transfer fee: €9 million
Mahmoud Dahoud | BVB -> Brighton | Market value: €12 million
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free transfer
Naby Keïta | Liverpool -> Werder | Market value: €12 million
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free transfer
Mark Flekken | SC Freiburg -> Brentford | Transfer fee: €13 million
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Market value: €10 million
Serhou Guirassy | Rennes -> VfB Stuttgart | Market value: €14 million
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Transfer fee: €9m (purchase option)
Stefan Posch | Hoffenheim -> Bologna | Market value: €14 million
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Transfer fee: €5 million (purchase option)
Diogo Leite | Postage -> Union | Market value: €15 million
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Transfer fee: €7.5 million (purchase option)
Jordan Beyer | Gladbach -> Burnley | Market value: €16 million
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Transfer fee: €15 million (purchase option)
Fabio Carvalho | Liverpool -> RB Leipzig | Market value: €16 million
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loan
Ramy Bensebaini | Gladbach -> BVB | Market value: €20 million
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free transfer
Raphael Guerreiro | BVB -> Bayern Munich | Market value: €20 million
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free transfer
Nicolas Seiwald RB Salzburg -> RB Leipzig | Transfer fee: €20 million
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Market value: €20 million
Benjamin Sesko | RB Salzburg -> RB Leipzig | Transfer fee: €24 million
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Market value: €24 million
Christoph Baumgartner Hoffenheim -> RB Leipzig | Transfer fee: €24 million
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Market value: €24 million
Alejandro Grimaldo | Benfica -> Bayer 04 | Market value: €25 million
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free transfer
Kevin Shame | SC Freiburg -> FC Brentford | Transfer fee: €25 million
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Market value: €25 million (obligatory purchase)
Konrad Laimer | RB Leipzig -> FC Bayern | Market value: €28 million
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free transfer
Evan Ndicka | Frankfurt -> AS Roma | Market value: €28 million
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free transfer
Felix Nmecha | Wolfsburg -> BVB | Transfer fee: €30 million
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Market value: €15 million
Marcus Thuram | Gladbach -> Inter | Market value: €32 million
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free transfer
Christopher Nkunku | RB Leipzig -> Chelsea | Market value: €80 million
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Transfer fee: €60 million
Jew Bellingham | BVB -> Real Madrid | Market value: €120 million
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Transfer fee: €103 million
“Felix Nmecha is a fast, technically skilled and physically strong player who will enrich our midfield with his profile, both offensively and defensively. He enjoyed a first-class education at Manchester City and came to the fore in Wolfsburg last season,” said BVB sporting director Sebastian Kehl in a statement on the club’s website. “We are happy to have another German national player for us and are convinced that Felix’s development is far from over.”
Market values Borussia Dortmund: All important changes at a glance
Nmecha himself said: “Borussia Dortmund is a great club that I’ve followed since I was a child. I’m happy to be part of it now and to help the team achieve their goals in the Bundesliga, DFB Cup and Champions League. I hope the fans will give me the chance to get to know myself.”
BVB boss Watzke campaigns again for Felix Nmecha: “Like all of us, certainly not flawless”
Nmecha is leaving VfL after two years in which his market value jumped from 450,000 euros to 15 million euros. In the latest Bundesliga update, he was one of the biggest winners with a plus of 7 million euros. There are still protests from Dortmund fans because of Nmecha. It is considered problematic that Nmecha drew attention to itself with questionable postings on its social channels. With contributions that, according to the “Spiegel” “went beyond the pure commitment to the faith”.
The content was interpreted as homophobic and anti-queer, which fans felt was incompatible with the core values of the club. “This is a normal boy, a normal young footballer,” said BVB boss Hans-Joachim Watzke of the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” after meeting Nmecha. The player recently announced via Instagram that he loves everyone, does not discriminate against anyone and that he is neither homophobic nor transphobic.
Watzke and club president Reinhold Lunow emphasized once again: “We are aware that the upcoming transfer has also caused criticism in the past few days due to two internet postings that Felix shared. It was therefore important to us to talk intensively with the player about his beliefs and values. Felix is very young, his religion is deeply rooted in him and – like all of us – he is certainly not perfect. But in intensive discussions he absolutely convinced us that he has no transphobic or homophobic ideas. Felix himself has stated that he respects and loves all people, regardless of their skin colour, religion or sexual orientation.”
Malen, Adeyemi & Haller in the top 10: BVB’s most expensive purchases
21 Maximilian Philip | 2017/18 from SC Freiburg | Transfer fee: €20 million
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As of July 3, 2023
21 Axel Witsel | 2018/19 by TJ Tianhai | Transfer fee: €20 million
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21 Thomas Delaney | 2018/19 by Werder | Transfer fee: €20 million
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21 Erling Haaland | 2019/20 by RB Salzburg | Transfer fee: €20 million
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21 Nico Schlotterbeck | 2022/23 by SC Freiburg | Transfer fee: €20 million
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20 Jadon Sancho | 2017/18 by Manchester City U18 | Transfer fee: 20.59 million
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Plus resale participation for Man City when moving to Man United
19 Paco Alcacer | 2019/20 by Barça | Transfer fee: €21 million
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18 Manuel Akanji | 2017/18 from FC Basel | Transfer fee: €21.5 million
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17 Mario Götze | 2016/17 by FC Bayern | Transfer fee: 22 million
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14 Andriy Yarmolenko | 2017/18 by Dynamo Kyiv | Transfer fee: €25 million
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14 Emre Can | 2020/21 by Juventus | Transfer fee: €25 million
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14 Julian Brandt | 2019/20 by Bayer 04 | Transfer fee: €25 million
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11 Marcio Amoroso | 2001/02 by Parma | Transfer fee: €25.5 million
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11 Nico Schulz | 2019/20 from 1899 Hoffenheim | Transfer fee: €25.5 million
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11 Thorgan Hazard | 2019/20 from M’gladbach | Transfer fee: €25.5 million
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10 Henrikh Mkhitaryan | 2013/14 by Shakhtar | Transfer fee: €27.5 million
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9 Abdou Diallo | 2018/19 from Mainz 05 | Transfer fee: €28 million
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5 André Schurrle | 2016/17 from VfL Wolfsburg | Transfer fee: €30 million
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5 Donyell Paint | 2021/22 by PSV Eindhoven | Transfer fee: €30 million
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5 Karim Adeyemi | 2022/23 by Red Bull Salzburg | Transfer fee: €30 million
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5 Felix Nmecha | 2023/24 from VfL Wolfsburg | Transfer fee: €30 million
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4 Jew Bellingham | 2020/21 by Birmingham | Transfer fee: 30.15 million
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Plus resale participation for Birmingham when moving to Real Madrid
3 Mats Hummels | 2019/20 from FC Bayern | Transfer fee: €30.5 million
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2 Sebastien Haller | 2022/23 by Ajax | Transfer fee: €31 million
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1 Ousmane Dembele | 2016/17 by Stade Rennes | Transfer fee: €35 million
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Plus resale participation for Stade Rennes when moving to Barcelona
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